saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Here we have the first Person the Father who spake from heaven as is plaine by those words My beloved Son He who hath a son must needs be a father We have here also the second Person the Son of whom the Father spake and who is expresly mentioned And so also is the third Person the Spirit the holy Spirit or Holy Ghost who came down in the likenesse of a Dove All these three are here so described and set forth as that they plainly appeare to be distinct each from other So the distinction of the Father and the Son is evident from that 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. where it 's said that God sent his Son by God there must needs be meant the Father and the Person sending must needs be distinct from the Person sent so consequently the Father and the Son are two dictinct Persons And by the same reason so are also the Father and the Holy Ghost for the Father sends the Holy Ghost is sent The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send c. Joh. 14. 26. And so also the Son and the Holy Ghost are by this reason proved to be two distinct Persons the Son being the Person sending and the Holy Ghost the Person sent I will send him unto you saith Christ speaking of the Comforter that is the Holy Ghost Joh. 16. 7. How these three Persons are distinguished one from another is not so necessary to be known as that they are distinguished neither may we be over-curious to inquire into it but thus much the Scripture doth manifest unto us concerning the distinction of these divine Persons that the Father is from none the Son is from the Father and the Holy Ghost both from the Father and the Son This is cleare from the places already alledged 1 Joh. 4. 9 10. Joh. 14. 26. 16. 7. And this is sufficient to shew not only that they are distinguished but also how they are distinguished Secondly as they are three distinct Persons so they are one the same God This appears by that Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost except the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost were each of them God we might not baptize nor be baptized in their Name For it is not lawfull to baptize or be baptized in the Name of any but God Were ye baptized in the name of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 13. And again v. 14 15. I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius least any should say that I had baptized in mine owne name Paul we see abhorred this as most vile sacriledge as a robbing of God of his honour that any should be baptized in his name So that prayer 2 Cor. 13. 24. The grace of the Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all that also proves these three Persons each one of them to be God for prayer is to be made only unto God Call upon me Psal 50. 15. Now if they be each one of them God then there being no more Gods then one they must needs be one and the same God The Godhead of the Father is confessed by all the Godhead of the Son and of the Holy Ghost I shall prove more fully and distinctly hereafter in their places this proof may suffice for the present Vse Seeing therefore this mystery of Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity of three Persons being one God and one God three Persons seeing I say this is revealed unto us in the Scriptures let us not doubt of the truth of it much lesse deny it but let us firmly assent unto it and believe it Let us not say as Nicodemus did in Joh. 3. another case How can these things be There are many things in Religion which are above reason though not against reason Surely it is the greatest reason that can be that we should believe God concerning himself For can we know God better then he doth himself And shall we not then believe what God doth say and testifie of himself We are not able to comprehend how it is well but let us believe that it is because so much is revealed Secret things belong unto the Lord our God but things revealed unto us Deut. 29. 29. There are many things in nature the reason whereof we know not yet do we not therefore doubt of the things themselves though we cannot tell how they came to be so yet we are assured that so they be The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh nor whither it goeth Joh. 3. 8. Thou knowest not what is the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child Eccles 11. 5. Scrutaeri hoc temeritas est credere pietas nesse verò vita vita aeterna est Bern. de Consid l. 5. c. 8. Bernard speaking of this mystery saith well To inquire into it above what is revealed is rashnesse to believe it is piety to know it is life even life eternall THE FIFTH SERMON GEN. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God GOd being to make a solemne Coveant with Abraham and so both to promise all manner of blessings unto him and to require sincere and intire obedience of him premiseth this that he is God Almighty that so Abraham might be incited both to obey him and to trust in him The Almighty God In the Originall it is El Shaddai which are two names of God and both of them import might and power El is a name of God as may appear by that Eli Eli c. Mat. 26. 46. that is My God my God c. The word doth signifie as much as might or power as it 's rendered Mic. 2. 1. or mighty as Ezek. 31. 11. And thus when it is used as the Name of God Aquila a Greek Interpreter renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is mighty As for the other word Shaddai some derive it from Shadad to wast and destroy as if the word imported thus much that as God by his Almighty power made all things so by the same power he is able to destroy all Joel 1. 15. As a destruction from the Almighty shall it come in the Hebrew there is an elegant Paromasia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ceshod misshaddai Others take the word as compounded of asher dai that is that is sufficient as if God were therefore called Shaddai because he hath all sufficiency in himself hath no need of any other but is able to supply the wants of all Neither is he worshipped with mens hands as if he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things Act. 17. 25. The Greek Interpreters called the Septuagint or Seventie sometimes translate the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that
bread and wine in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are holy as having peculiar reference unto God and set apart for holy uses There is also an internall and inherent holinesse whereby a thing is in it self holy And thus all true believers are holy being inwardly purged and cleansed in some measure from the filth and pollution of sin You are washed you are sanctified 1 Cor. 6. 11. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Thus also the good Angels are holy they are called the Holy Angels Mat. 25. 31. And after a most eminent manner God is holy he is stiled the Holy one Iob. 6. 10. Isai 40. 25. Yea it is said that he only is holy Revel 15. 4. to wit independently and essentially men and Angels being but holy by participation And peculiarly holinesse is attributed to the third Person in the Blessed Trinity though the first person and the second person be holy too yet the third person is peculiarly stiled holy it being the peculiar work of this person to sanctifie and make holy Not as if the Father and the Son did not sanctifie as well as the Holy Ghost but the Father and the Son do sanctifie by the Holy Ghost whence sanctification is called the sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 2. 13. because it is peculiarly wrought by the spirit and so much for the name Holy Ghost or holy Spirit 2. The nature of the holy Ghost is to be considered viz. that the holy Ghost is God truly and Of the nature of the Holy Ghost that the Holy Ghost is God properly so called having one and the same divine nature with the Father and the Son for these three are one 1. Ioh. 5. 7. three persons yet but one God as hath been shewed before upon that Text but here the Godhead of the Holy Ghost is to be proved more fully and we have clear testimony of Scripture for it VVhy hath Satan filled thine heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost said Peter to Ananias Act. 5. 3. And he adds presently after Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God v. 4. This clearly shews the Holy Ghost to be God And the same may further be confirmed by divers arguments 1. Divine attributes belong unto the holy Ghost such as are proper unto God and consequently the Holy Ghost is God Ubiquity omnipresence to be every where which is peculiar unto God is attributed to the Holy Ghost Whither shall I go from thy spirit Psal 139. 7. So also is omniscience to know all things which likewise appertains to God only The spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. 2. Divine works are ascribed to the Holy Ghost such works as none can do but only God and therefore also the Holy Ghost is God The work of Creation which is proper unto God belongs to the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God hath made me said Elihu Job 33. 4. And surely he that made him made all So also the work of sanctification belongs only unto God The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly 1 Thes 5. 23. Yet this work is ascribed to the Holy Ghost yea this Person as hath been shewed is therefore called the Holy Ghost because he peculiarly doth work sanctification and make holy 3. Divine honour is given to the Holy Ghost that honor which is due only unto God And this also evinceth that the Holy Ghost is God Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28. 19. We may not baptize or be baptized in the name of any but only of God Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul 1 Cor. 1. 13. Seeing therefore that we baptize and are baptized according to Christs own institution as in the name of the Father and of the Son so also of the holy Ghost it necessarily follows that as the Father is God and the Son God so is the Holy Ghost God also And so in the Text that we have in hand the Apostle prayeth for the Corinthians that they might enjoy as the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Son and the love of God the Father so likewise the communion of the Holy Ghost and it is an implicit invocation as of Christ the Son and of God the Father so of the holy Ghost as if the Apostle should have said I pray to our Lord Jesus Christ that his grace and to God the Father that his love and to the Holy Ghost that his communion may be with you all and this may suffice to prove that the holy Ghost is God 3. I passe to the person of the holy Ghost and Of the person of the Holy Ghost here three things are to be considered 1. That the Holy Ghost is a Person 2. That the Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son 3. That the Holy Ghost is a person proceeding both from the Father and from the Son 1. The holy Ghost is a person not an attribute That the H. Ghost is a person or affection as mercy justice power wisdom and the like For those things which are proper and peculiar to a person are attributed to the holy Ghost as to be vexed grieved They vexed his holy spirit Isai 63. 10. Grieve not the holy spirit of God Ephes 4. 30. True it is the holy Ghost being God cannot properly be vexed or grieved but this as other things in Scripture is spoken after the manner of men but however it argueth that the holy Ghost is a person even as that Psal 95. 10. Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation shews him that spake it to be a person So when the holy Ghost is said to speak to command and injoyn it argues that the Holy Ghost is a person The Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul c. Act. 13. 2. Above all that Mat. 3. 16. is most strong and forcible for this purpose There it is said that the Holy Ghost came down in the likenesse of a dove which could not be except the Holy Ghost were a person For nothing but a person can assume a shape wherein to appeare a meer attribute or affection cannot do it 2. The Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the That the H. Ghost is a person distinct from the Father and the Son Father and the Son I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter said Christ to his Disciples Joh. 14. 16. The Comforter there spoken of is the Holy Ghost as appears v. 17. Even the spirit of truth c. and v. 26. The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost This therefore is another a person distinct from Christ the Son and so likewise from the Father For the Father doth send this Comforter the Holy Ghost Iohn 14. 26. Now the person sending and the person sent must
dissemble that the adversaries of the Doctrine concerning the Trinity do except against this place as not written by S. John nor any part of the Scripture and they have some colour for this exception For it is confessed that in some Greek copies these words are not extant nor in the Syriack Translation which is ancient and of good account as likewise that Chrysostome and some other ancient writers in their Commentaries upon the Epistle make no mention of these words which argues that they did not find them in those books which they perused But to this I answer 1. That this Text for the matter contained in it fully agrees with other places of Scripture so that although this Text were not yet the truth which it containeth may otherwise sufficiently be proved 2. Those words in the Verse following in earth shew that these words in the seventh Verse are genuine and not to be omitted for those words in that Verse in earth answer to these in this Verse in heaven 3. Most of the Greek copies have this Text in them and so hath the vulgar Latine Translation Hierome also as ancient as Chrysostome reads it as part of the Epistle and so doth Cyprian Cyprian de vint Eccles one more ancient then them both neither doth it appear that these words were ever questioned untill after such time as the Arrian Heresie impugning the Divinity of Christ was growne up so that it is most probable that as Hierome and others conceive these words were scraped out by the Arrians as making sore against them and so came to be wanting in some copies and to be omitted by some Commentators The Heresie of the Arrians for a while prevailed Ingemuit orbis se miratus est factum esse Arrianum Hieron much and bore great sway in the world especially in the Eastern parts of it And it hath been the wicked policy and practice of Heretikes to expunge such places of Scripture as were most pregnant against them which they might do in some copies though not in all Tertullian chargeth Marcion an Arch-heretike with this crime and thereupon calls him the Mouse of Pontus the Countrey of which Marcion was because like a Mouse he gnawed the Scriptures and cut away some part of them so farre as he was able Gods prooidence and goodnesse towards his Church is to be admired in preserving the Scripture notwithstanding all the machinations and devices of heretiques and other professed adversaries to abolish it And thus much for the vindication of the Text. I will not stand about the coherence of the words but something must be said for the explication of them There are three viz. three Persons which are presently after expressed that beare witnesse in heaven viz. to the truth spoken of v. 6. namely that Christ came both by water and blood both to sanctifie and to justifie and to be a perfect Saviour of his people from their sins by taking away both the staine and the guilt of them The Father the first person of the Trinity so called in reference to the second Person commonly called the Son The Word that is the Son the second Person of the Trinity for that is here meant by the Word Thus also the second Person is termed Joh. 1. 1. 14. and Revel 19. 13. For there by the Word of God is not meant the Word of God either written or spoken but the substantiall Word Christ the Son of God the second Person of the sacred Trinity as is evident there by the context why the second Person is called the Word is not so clear by the Scripture divers reasons are alledged and some such as seem over-Philosophicall and too remote from the simplicity of the Scriptures That which seems to have most ground in the Scripture is this that the second Person the Son taking upon him the nature of man became the Interpreter of the Father and as his Word making knowne his will unto men No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. These words follow but a little after those wherein this only begotten Son is called the Word so Heb. 1. 2. It 's said that in these last times God hath spoken unto us by his Son In this respect may the Son be called the Word or because he is the Word or * In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is also put for thing and so in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. 3 Acts 8. 21 5. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk ◠thing so much spoken of by the Prophets To him give all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10. 43. Howsoever this is clear and this may suffice that by the Word both in the Text and elsewhere in the Scripture the Son is meant And the Holy Ghost The third Person of the Trinity called the Spirit the holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost God as God is a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. and so is holy and therefore this appellation of Spirit and holy Spirit or Holy Ghost belongs also to the Father and to the Son yet it is more peculiarly attributed and in a manner appropriated to the third Person why it is so I will not now stand to inquire And these three are one Some most Orthodox expound it thus agree in one as it is expressed of those other three that beare witnesse in earth v. 8. And this is true yet the phrase used here differing from that which is used v. 8. I see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. not that they are to be taken as equivalent and importing both one and the same thing some one or two copies indeed are said here to have the same phrase as v. 8. but generally it is otherwise Unum sunt not in unum and so Cyprian read it are one not agree in one and he was before the time of Arrius by whom or by some of whose sect probably this place was either razed out or corrupted This therefore is the meaning of the words and so much the phrase imports that these are essentially and substantially one that they are one essence and one substance one God This Exposition is agreeable to other places of Scripture to the words themselves and is generally imbraced From the words thus explicated there ariseth Doct. this Doctrine That the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons yet but one and the same God First they are three dictinct Persons differing each from other so that the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost neither is the Son the Holy Ghost they are clearly distinguished Mat. 3. 16 17. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him And loe a voyce from heaven
made Ioh. 1. 3. That by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 16 17. It is God also that doth preserve all things Neh. 9. 6. Yet this likewise is ascribed unto Christ He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. Only God can raise the dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. Rom. 4. 17. Yet this Christ did as the History of the Gospell sheweth and that not instrumentally and ministerially but authoritatively and by his owne power Young man I say unto thee arise Luk 7. 14. Maid arise Luk. 8. 54. Lazarus come forth Ioh. 11. 43. None can forgive sins but onely God Esa 43. 25. yet this Christ did Mar. 2. 5. 12. The Scribes were right in this that none but God can forgive sins viz. authoritatively as Christ did onely in this they were wrong that from a true principle they inferred a false conclusion viz. that therefore Christ taking upon him so to forgive sins was a blasphemer Christ by the miracle which immediately he wrought before their eyes shewed that he was another manner of person then they took him to be and that he had power to forgive sins as he did To redeem and to save are acts properly belonging unto God Esa 49. 26. I the Lord am thy Redeemer and thy Saviour Yet Christ also is our Redeemer and Saviour as the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles every where do shew 5. Divine worship is given unto Christ such as may not be given to any but to God onely When he was a young Infant the Wisemen fell downe and worshipped him Mat. 2. 11. His Disciples seeing him ascend up into heaven they worshipped him Luk. 24. 52. Of him it was said Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. All these places as the circumstances of them do evince speak of religious worship which is peculiar unto God and may not be given to any meer creature Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Mat. 4. 10. The Angell would not be worshipped by John but bad him give that honor to God and worship him Rev. 19. 10. 22. 9. More particularly Faith and Hope are onely to be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. yet they are and ought to be in Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me Ioh. 14. 1. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. In him shall the Gentiles trust Rom. 15. 12. Prayer is to be made only unto God Call upon me saith God Psal 50. 15. yet Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost gave this honour unto Christ he prayed unto him saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7. 55. 59. Thus both testimonies of Scripture and arguments drawn from Scripture make it most evident that Christ is God truly and properly so called even one and the same God with the Father But divers places there are which may be objected as seeming to make against this truth which therefore are to be cleared that it may appeare that beeing rightly understood they do not make against it Object 1. Mark 13. 32. Christ speaking of the day of Judgement saith Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells that are in heaven nor the Son but the Father If the Son be ignorant of that which the Father doth know how then is he God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father Answ Some interpret that so as that the Son is said not to have knowne the day of Iudgement because he did not know it so as to make it knowne unto others In which sense the Apostle said I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. But this Exposition cannot be admitted for so neither doth the Father know that day viz. so as make others also know it Therefore the true meaning of the words is that Christ there spake of himself as Man not denying but that in some other respect he did know that which in respect of his humane nature was not known unto him Object 2. But againe when one came unto Christ saying Good Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternall life Christ said unto him Why callest thou me good There is none good but one that is God Luke 18. 18 19. Here Christ seemes to deny himselfe to be God Answ Not so Christ spake onely in respect of that opinion which he to whom he spake had of him who looked on him as a man and no more neither was it Christs meaning that no meer man may be called good for it is said of Barnabas that he was a good man Acts 11. 24. But his meaning was to teach that when any goodnesse is found in man the praise and glory must be given unto God who alone is essentially good if any besides him be good it is onely by participation from him and therefore the honour is due unto him For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Rom. 11. 36. Object 3. But may some say Doth not Christ himself confesse himself inferiour to the Father saying My Father is greater then I Ioh. 14. 28. Answ Yes but how not simply and absolutely but only in some sort viz. in respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact ad loc of his humane nature whereby he took upon him the forme of a Servant Phil. 2. 7. but otherwise he was in the forme of God and thought it not robbery to be-equall with God v. 6. That Christ there spake of himself as Man may appear by the words immediately going before I go unto the Father this Christ did as Man for otherwise as God he was then with the Father yea in the Father and the Father in him Joh. 14. 11. 10. 38. Object 4. Againe it may be objected that Christ John 17. 3. speaking to the Father saith thus This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ where Christ seems to make his Father only the true God Answ Nay he makes his Father the onely It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true God but there is great difference betwixt these two Propositions The Father is the only true God and Only the Father is the true God The one imports that there is but only one true God and that the Father is this God the other imports that none but the Father is this God which is false for the Son also is this only true God this true God which is only one and so also is the Holy Ghost The same Answer serveth for that 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one God the Father The Apostle there
onely affirmes that there being but onely one true God the Father is he he denies not but that the Son and so the Holy Ghost is so also even as when he addes and one Lord Jesus he only affirmes Jesus to be the only Lord he denies not but that the Father is so likewise Vse 1. Thus the truth of the Doctrine concerning Christs Divinity and consubstantiality with the Father being sufficiently demonstrated and vindicated here we may see and ought to consider the excellency of Christ and so learn to give him the glory due unto his Name We cannot honour the Father except we in like manner honor Christ also he being one and the same in substance and Godhead with the Father That all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 5. 23. Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 Joh. 2. 23. The Jewes both now and of old have vilified and despised Christ He came unto his own and his own received him not Joh. 1. 11. For the most part they did not yet some did as the Evangelist there immediately after sheweth And so the Iewish writings testifie that some of the ancient Rabbines have spoken very honourably of Christ and indeed have said that of him which shewes that they believed him to be God though the later Rabbines reciting their words indeavour to pervert the meaning of them descanting upon those words which are meant of Christ Abrabaneel in Isaiam Esa 52. 12. He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high they say that Christ should be exalted above Abraham and extolled above Moses and be higher then the Angels And in the new Testament the dignity of Christ is thus comparatively set forth by preferring him to all these to Abraham when the Iews said unto Christ Art thou greater then our Father Abraham Ioh. 8. 53. Christ answered v. 56. Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and saw it and was glad And v. 58. Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am So to Moses For this man Christ was counted worthy of more glory then Moses inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house And Moses verily was faithfull in all Gods house as a servant for a testimony of those things that were to be spoken after But Christ as a Son over his own house c. Heb. 3. 3 5 6. And so to the Angels Christ is likewise preferred to them Being made so much better then the Angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they For to which of the Angells said God at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And againe I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 4 5 6. But not only the Iews and such like professed infidells and enemies of Christ but also many that have professed themselves Christians have impugned his Divinity and Equality with the Father so robbing him of the glory due unto his Name Thus Arrius and Photinus with their followers of old and Servetus and others of late and some even at this day And therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware least ye also be carried away with the error of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastnesse but grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. Vse 2. Here again we may see what cause we have to trust in Christ as a most sure Redeemer and Saviour with that courage and confidence in all our troubles and distresses whatsoever whether inward or outward we may come unto Christ and unto God by Christ that we may have help from him and by him he being such a Mediator betwixt God and Man as is not only Man but also God coessentiall and coequall with the Father Hence it is and must needs be that he is a stone a medstone a precious corner stone a sure foundation See before Serm. 9. Esa 28. 16. mighty to save Esa 63. 1. a horn of salvation Luk. 1. 69. able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Chrst Jesus Heb. 3. 1. Seeing then we have a great high Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need Heb. 4. 14 16. THE ELEVENTH SERMON MAT. 1. 20. For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost IN the two Verses going before S. Matthew relates how Mary being espoused unto Joseph before they came together was found with child which Joseph not knowing how it came to passe was so troubled at that he thought to put her away though privily But as he addes in this Verse God by his Angell let him know that he had no reason to be troubled as he was nor to to take such a course as he intended for though Mary was with child yet it was far otherwise then he suspected even by the miraculous power of the Holy Ghost working in her But while he thought on these things behold the Angell of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream saying Josph thou Son of David fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost In this last part of the Verse which I am only to insist upon we have first Who it was that conceived Christ viz. Mary the wife of Ioseph he was conceived in her Secondly how she conceived him viz. not by any naturall and ordinary means but by the supernaturall and extraordinary power of God For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost First therefore let us observe from hence That Doct. 1 Mary the wife of Joseph was the Mother of Christ our Saviour He was conceived in her and so in her as that he was conceived of her that is of her substance It 's said of Christ that he took upon him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. And that according to the flesh he was raised up of the fruit of Davids loines Acts 2. 30. But this could not be except that Christ did receive the substance of his body from Mary who did descend from Abraham and from David A more direct testimony to this Geen 3. 15 Christ is called the seed of the woman purpose is that Gal. 4. 4. where it 's said of Christ that he was made of a woman which
forth to the day of wrath Job 21. 30. Pull them out as sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter Jer. 12. 3. When I thought to understand this it was too painfull for me untill I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end Surely thou didst set them in slippery places thou castedst them down into destruction How are they brought into desolation as in a mâ—ment They are utterly consumed with terrors As a dreame when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image Psal 73. 16 17 18 19 20. Therefore fret not thy self because of evill doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity For they shall soon be cut down like the grasse wither as the green herb Psa 37. 1 2. 2. We are apt to be troubled at the disorder and confusion that is in the world that much sin and wickednesse doth passe without controle that judgement is perverted the righteous are condemned and the wicked justified But let us consider that there is a judgement to come which will rectifie all and set all straight I saw under the Sun saith Solomon the place of Judgement that wickednesse was there and the place of righteousnesse that iniquity was there I said in mine heart God shall judge the righteous and the wicked for there is a time there for every purpose and for every worke Eccl. 3. 16 17. If thou seest saith he the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of judgement and justice in a Province marvell not at the matter for he that is higher then the highest regardeth the matter and there be higher then they Eccles 5. 8. 3. The godly are subject here to slanders calumnies and defamations But let them consider that the day is coming when all foul and falsle aspersions that were cast on them shall be wiped off and their innocency be made manifest unto all Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe And he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgement as the noon day Psal 36. 5 6. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of mans Judgement But he that judgeâ—h me is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. 4. Persecution which the godly here indure is sometimes bitter and grievous unto them But this saith the Apostle is a manifest token of the righteous judgement of God that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to those that trouble you And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall appear from Heaven c. 2 Thes 1. 5 6 7. c. Be patient therefore brethren saith S. James unto the coming of the Lord Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the Earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the former and the latter rain Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Iames 5. 7 8. And so much for this Doctrine That all generally shall be judged The five and twentieth SERMON THe second point to be considered from the Text is this That Christ is he who must be the Doct. 2 judge of all both the quick and the dead The Text is clear and expresse for this and so also the Scripture in many other places I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall iudge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. We must all appear before the iudgment seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. We shal all stand before the iudgment seat of Christ Rom. 14. 10. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ Rom. 2. 16 Because he hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Act. 17. 31. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son Ioh. 5. 22. And hath given him authority also to execute iudgment because he is the Sonne of man v. 27. Quest. But how is it said that the Father judgeth no man the contrary is affirmed by S. Peter If ye call on the Father who without respect of persons iudgeth according to every mans work c. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Answ It is not meant that simply and absolutely the Father judgeth no man but only in some respect that is the Father judgeth no man immediately by himselfe but mediately by Christ as the Apostle sheweth Rom. 2. 16. Act. Ferus on Ioh. 5. 22. 17. 31. In judgement as some observe four things are to be considered 1. The judiciary power and authority 2. an inward approbation of good and detestation of evill 3. a retribution of reward 3. an outward sitting in judgement and pronouncing of sentence in respect of the three first particulars the last judgement is common to the whole Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost but in respect of the fourth and last particular it is proper and peculiar unto Christ Quest But again it may be said Christ being one and the same God with the Father Ioh. 10. 30. how hath he this authority assigned unto him All things that the Father hath are mine saith Christ Joh. 16. 15. Divers of the Ancients understand it so that Hilary Chrysostomand Theophylact See Iansenius in Concord the Father begetting the Son and communicating the divine nature unto him in that respect gave him authority to execute judgement In which sense it is said As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Joh. 5. 26. But Austin justly disliketh this exposition for so it could not be said The Father iudgeth no man For as the Father begetteth the Son who is equall to the Father so the Father judgeth together with the Son the one judgeth in like Secundum hoc enim quòd Pater aequalem genuit Filium judicat eum Filio Aug. Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa manner as the other For the works of the Trinity that are without are common to all the three Persons In this respect therefore he saith it is to be understood that the Father hath committed all iudgment to the Son in that the Secundum hoc ergò dictum est quòd in judicio non in formâ Dei sed in formâ Filii hominis apparebit Aug. Son shall appear in judgement not in the forme of God but in the form of man And this he well confirms by that He hath given him authority to execute iudgement because he is the Son of man Joh. 5. 27. The power of judging Pater Filio potestatem judicandi
11 12 13. And that of Peter Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 14. In a word let 's have a care so to assure our selves of interest in Christ by faith and so to shew forth our faith in Christ by our love and obedience unto him that as he saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. Surely I come quickly v. 20. So we may have courage and confidence to say as there immediately it followeth Amen even so come Lord Jesus The six and twentieth SERMON 2 COR. 13. 14. And the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all THese words are a part of the conclusion of this Epistle The Apostle usually begins and ends with prayer in the behalf of those to whom he writes So in other Epistles and so in this Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Chap. 1. v. 2. And here in like manner The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen I am to treat only of that part of the verse which concerns the Holy Ghost and before I come to the doctrine which the words afford I must insist a little upon the name nature person and operation of the Holy Ghost 1. For the name Holy Ghost Ghost is as much as Of the name Holy Ghost spirit and ghostly as much as spirituall In the Scripture where this Person called the Holy Ghost is spoken of our Translators sometimes use the word Ghost and sometimes the word Spirit Yet as I observe they do not altogether use the words promiscuously but with this difference Where the word Holy is not prefixed they alwaies The word Ghost explained use the word Spirit and not the word Ghost And so also when this Person is spoken of in relation to God or to Christ although the word Holy be prefixed As the Spirit not the Ghost the Spirit of God or of Christ not the Ghost of God or of Christ his holy Spirit not his Holy Ghost Otherwise when this Person is spoken of without any such relation and with the Epithite Holy prefixed they use the word Ghost rather then Spirit But however the word in the Originall is the same and these words Ghost and Spirit differ in sound rather then in sense and signification Now the word in the Hebrew and in the Greek and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus in the Latin the three learned Languages which is rendred sometimes Ghost but more frequently Spirit this word I say is attributed to divers things 1. Sometimes it is taken for breath I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live Ezek. 37. 5. In the Originall the word rendred breath is that which usually is rendred Spirit So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2. 26. Where it is said the body without the Spirit is dead in the margent for spirit is breath 2. The word sometimes is used for the wind as Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born of the spirit In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same word which is rendred in the beginning of the verse Wind and in the end of the Spiritus ubi vult spirat verse Spirit the vulgar Latin there hath not Ventus which properly signifieth wind but Spiritus whence we have the word Spirit 3. This word Spirit is used to signifie an incorporeall and immaterial substance A spirit hath not flesh and bones Luk. 24. 39. And thus by spirit sometimes is meant the soul of man VVhen a man dies then shall the dust that is the body made of dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccles 22. 7. Where by spirit is meant the soul of man which is a spirituall substance Thus also the Angels whether good or bad are called spirits The good Angels Are they not all ministring spirits c. Heb. 1. 14. The bad Angells when some said unto Christ Lord even the devils are subiect unto us thorough thy name Luk. 10. 17. Christ answered them Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heaven v. 20. And in this sense is the word Spirit attributed unto God Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit And so 1 Pet. 3. 18. By spirit is signified Christs divine nature which is the Son in all the three Persons Being put to death by the flesh that is the humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is the divine nature And peculiarly the third Person of the sacred Trinity hath the name of Spirit appropriated to him Sometimes this Person is called the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. Sometimes the Spirit of God 1 Joh. 4. 2. Sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. Sometimes the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost as in the Text and other places VVhy the third Person is peculiarly called the Spirit though the Father be a spirit and the Son a spirit as well as the Holy Ghost the Scripture doth not expresse neither is it much material for us to inquire Some give Secundum quod spiritus dicitur à spiritualitate sic convenit toti Trinitati Secundum autem quod dicitur à spiratione sic convenit illi soli Personae quae procedit ut amor c. Bonavent in Sent. l. 1. dist 10. quest 3. this reason that this Person proceeds from the Father and the Son by spiration or breathing which must be understood after a spirituall and ineffable manner It may be said that this divine Person is therefore called the Spirit because he was inspired or breathed into and did breath in the Prophets and Apostles This inward and spiritual inspiration was signified and confirmed by Cum arcanâ inspiratione possâ—t Christus gratiam conferre Apostolis visibilem flatum ad dere voluit ad cos melius confirmandos Calvin in Ioh. 20. 22. that outward and corporall breathing which is mentioned Ioh. 20. 22. Where it is said that when Christ gave the Holy Ghost unto his Apostles he breathed on them and said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Ioh. 20. 22. This Person is called Holy Now there is a holinesse which is only externall and adherent which doth not constitute a thing holy in it self but only in its use and relation Thus Ierusalem is called the Holy City Mat. 4. 5. to wit because The word Holy expounded it had speciall relation unto God it was the City of the great King that is of God Mat. 5. 35. Thus also the Temple and the things of the Temple were holy And thus the water in Baptism and the
needs be distinct the one from the other And this same reason also proveth the Son and the Holy Ghost to be two distinct persons because the Holy Ghost is sent by the Son When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you said Christ Joh. 15. 26. And so Ioh. 16. 7. If I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you The distinction also of the Holy Ghost both from the Father and from the Son is evident by that Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost As likewise by this conclusion whereof the Text is a part The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all These places do clearly shew that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct persons and so S. John speaking of them That the H. Ghost proceedeth both from the Father and from the Son saies There are three and these three 1 Ioh. 5. 7. 3. The Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son this is the difference whereby the divine persons are distinguished one from another the Father proceedeth from none the Son proceedeth from the Father and the Holy Ghost proceedeth both from the Father and the Son that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father the Scripture is expresse Ioh. 15. 26. The spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father And that the Holy Ghost also proceedeth from the Son is there implied Whom I wil send said Christ If the holy Ghost be sent by the son then also he proceedeth from the Son for the Father proceeding from none is never said to be sent by any the 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Holy Ghost inspring the Propâ—â—â—s is called the Spirit of Christ Son proceeding from the Father is said to be sent by the Father 1 Ioh. 4. 9. 10. And so the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son is said to be sent by them both the Holy Ghost also is called the spirit of the Son as proceeding from the Son Gal. 4. 6. And so Rom. 8. 9. the Spiof Christ therefore also Christ speaking of the Holy Ghost said He shall receive of mine Ioh. 16. 14. because the holy Ghost hath the divine nature communicated unto him by the Son even as the Son hath it communicated unto him by the Father Quest But some may say How is it said of the Holy Ghost that he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak Ioh. 16. 13. Answ I answer The Holy Ghost is there spoken of as a messenger or an Embassadour one sent by another who is not to speak of himself but what he hath received from him by whom he is sent and Christ spake thus of the Holy Ghost not to derogate from the Holy Ghost but to prevent the spreading of errour and false doctrine under a pretence of the spirit and to assure us that if any Doctrine be dissonant from that which Christ hath delivered it is not from the Holy Ghost but to be rejected though they that vent it doe never so much pretend the spirit for it 4. In the fourth and last place we are to consider Of the operation of the Holy Ghost the operation of the Holy Ghost In respect of operation it is that the Holy Ghost is said to be sent or given Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 5. 5. For the Holy Ghost is not so sent or given as to be where before he was not but only so as to operate otherwise then he did The operation of the spirit is called the manifestation of the spirit 1 Cor. 12. 7. because by the operation of the spirit the presence of the spirit is made manifest the operation it self being such as is manifest Now the operation of the spirit is either such as is common to the Elect and reprobate or such as is proper and peculiar to the Elect. 1. Such as is common to the Elect and reprobate and that is of divers sorts 1. That whereby one is fitted for his particular calling whether it be sacred or civill It is Iudg. 11. 29. that the spirit of the Lord came upon Iephthah And 1 Sam. 11. 6. that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul So Exod. 31. 3. that Bezaleel was filled with the spirit of God The meaning is that Iephthah and Saul by the operation of the Spirit were indued with courage and valour and Bezaleel with wisdome and understanding whereby both they and he were made meet for that office and imployment to which they were called In the primitive times of the Gospel there were extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost as ability to speak strange tongues to work strange cures and to do many miracles and these gifts were common to the reprobate as appears by that Mat. 7. 22 23. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophecied in thy name and in thy name cast out devills and in thy name done many wonderfull works And then will I professe unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye that work iniquity And when Christ sent the Apostles giving them power to heal the sick to cleanse the lepers to raise the dead and to cast out devils he sent Iudas among them and gave him power in this kind as well as the rest Mat. 10. 1. c. And in respect of those extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost most probably it was that some being asked if they had received the Holy Ghost answered We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost Acts 19. 2. It is hardly to be imagined that they who spake this having been partakers as they said themselves of Johns Baptisme could be ignorant whether there were such a divine Person which is called the Holy Ghost but they might be ignorant whether there were such miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost given unto believers It followes there v. 6. that when Paul laid his hands on them the Holy Ghost came upon them and they spake with tongues and prophecied The Holy Ghost did then manifest himself in them by extraordinary gifts which he did confer on them 2. Some measure of illumination This also is a common work of the Spirit the reprobate are illuminated in some measure by the Holy Ghost as well as the elect They who are inlightned and in that respect made partakers of the Holy Ghost may fall away and perish for ever Heb. 6. 4 6. The sin against the Holy Ghost presupposeth this operation of the Holy Ghosts illumination None can fall into this sin but they that are inlightned so as to know the truth and to be convinced of it and yet out of diabolicall malice do impugne and oppose it as they that knew and were convinced in their consciences that Christ did cast out Devills by the
2. the spirit of glory 1 Pet. 4. 14. the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 9. Yea this Spirit is God as hath been proved before and therefore this spirit must needs be excellent and so consequently the communion or fellowship of the Spirit 2. The commodity of this communion of the holy Ghost For 1. The Holy Ghost will teach informe and instruct Thou gavest thy good spirit to instruct them Neh. 9. 20. He is the spirit of counsell and knowledge and understanding Esa 11. 2. We are naturally blind and ignorant of the truth and many errors creep in and insinuate themselves under the name of truth but the Holy Ghost is the spirit of truth and will inlighten our minds and teach us to know and understand the truth Joh. 14. 26. 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 whatsoever I have said unto you Joh. 14. 26. Howbeit when the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth Joh. 16. 13. How ignorant were the Apostles before they had received the Holy Ghost in that measure as afterwards they did Are ye so without understanding also said Christ unto them Mar. 7. 18. when they thought that which was a plain speech to be a parable So Christ having spoken of his Passion it is said that they understood not this saying and it was hid from them that they perceived it not Luke 9. 45. So concerning some things that were done unto Christ according as it had been prophecied of him S. John saith These things understood not his Disciples at the first but when Jesus was glorified and so they had received a greater measure of the Spirit for the Holy Ghost â—â—s not yet given in such measure because Jesus was not yet glorified Joh. 7. 39. then remembred they that these things were written of him and that they had done these things unto him Joh. 12. 16. So Joh. 20. 9. As yet they knew not the Scripture that he must rise again from the dead Thus it was with them for a while but when the Holy Ghost was plentifully powred upon them then they were filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Esa 11. 9. So much their words and writings do make manifest 2. The Holy Ghost will strengthen and incourage The Prophet Jeâ—emie complains They are not valiant for the truth upon the earth Jer. 9. 3. Even they that both know and also love the truth yet may be so timorous and faint-hearted as not to dare to avouch it and to stand up in defence of it though God call them to it as is clear by the example of Peter when he denied Christ But the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of might and of power Esa 11. 2. and 2 Tim. 1. 7. How weak and fearfull were the Apostles whilst they had but as it were a scantling of the Spirit They all forsook Christ and fled from him when he was apprehended by his adversaries and Peter who had professed most courage and confidence of all others most bewrayed his weaknesse being not able to indure the encounter of a silly damosell as the story shews of him But afterward when they had the spirit in more abundant measure they were so full of courage and boldnesse that their greatest adversaries did admire it When the Jewish Rulers and Elders examined Peter and John about a miracle that tâ—â—y had wrought in making a lame man sound saying By what power or by what name have ye done this Then Pâ—ter filled with the Holy Ghost mark that said unto tâ—em Ye Rulers of the people and Elders of Israel If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole Be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this man stand here before you whole This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Now when they saw the boldnesse of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men they marvelled and they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Act. 3. 7. 13. So v. 31. it is said of the Apostles that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and spake the word with boldnesse And v. 33. And with great power gave the Apostles witnesse of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus 3. The Holy Ghost will direct and order Courage without wisdom and discretion will do hurt rather then good but wisdome and courage joyned together will do much good and no hurt A wise mans heart discerneth both time and iudgment saith Solomon Eccl. 8. 5. that is a wise man knoweth both when to do a thing and how to do it Now the Holy Ghost being the spirit of wisdome will order and direct us to do things wisely in due time and in right manner Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost was also full of wisdome so that although he had to do with most implacable adversaries yet they were not able to resist the wisdome and the spirit by which he spake Act. 6. 10. So Christ promised unto his Disciples saying I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries shall not be able to gain-say or resist Luk. 21. 15. And how they should be indued with such wisdom we may see by that Luk. 12. 12. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same houre what ye ought to say And so Mat. 10. 20. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you 4. The Holy Ghost will comfort and incourage as to do the will of God so also to suffer what by his permission and providence shall be inflicted for so doing For though the godly behave themselves never so well and wisely yet they may fall into the hands of their inraged persecutors as that Protomartyr Stephen and so the other Martyrs did But though they do yet as it fared with Stephen and the Martyrs as their sufferings abound so shall their consolations abound also 2 Cor. 1. 5. For the spirit of glory and of God resteth on them 1 Pet. 4. 14. And this spirit will make them to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. It is such a peculiar work of the Holy Ghost to afford comfort that he is stiled the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16. 26. 15. 26. 16. 7. And sound joy is called joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. 3. Consider we the necessity of this communion of the Holy Ghost 1. Without
the Holy Ghost we can know nothing viz. of the things of God the things that concern salvation For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. 12. v. 14. But the naturall man who is destitute of Gods spirit receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned 2. Without the Holy Ghost we can do nothing viz. that is pleasing unto God Not pray for the Holy Ghost is the spirit of grace and of supplications Zach. 12. 10. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8. 2â— 27. So neither can we without the Holy Ghost rightly hear the word or receive the Sacrament or perform any other duty whatsoever For the Holy Ghost being the Spirit of grace without the Holy Ghost we can have no grace and we must have grace whereby to serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. Whatsoever service is performed by the unregenerate who are not indued with Gods spirit though in it self considered it is pleasing unto God yet as done by them God is not pleased with it They that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. 3. Without the Holy Ghost we can enjoy nothing viz. that is truly good for us The Holy Ghost being the Spirit of Christ and of God we can have no communion with Christ nor with God but by the Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost being the spirit of life the spirit of grace the spirit of glory without the holy Ghost we can have no life neither of grace here nor of glory hereafter therefore we have that hope which maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 5. This may suffice to demonstrate what a desirable thing the communion of the holy Ghost is Vse 1. And if it be so then O the wretched folly and madnesse of many who desire and labour for any thing rather then for this communion Let Elisha or whosoever will seek a double portion of the spirit so they may have a double portion of the things of the world of the profits pleasures and honours of it it 's all they desire If the holy Ghost in the mouths of his Miâ—â—â—ters strive with them they oppose and resist him all they can Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears you do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Act. 7. 51. If the holy Ghost insinuate himself a little into them putting good motions into them presently they quench the spirit which the Apostle bids Christians beware of 1 Thes 5. 20. saying Quench not the spirit that is the good motions of the spirit which like sparks are kindled within you If the holy spirit begin to search them and to discover their sins unto them and to put them in mind of their estate to God-ward they are weary of such a guest Like Felix who when Paul reasoned before him of righteousnesse and temperance and judgment to come trembled and said Go thy way for this time when I have convenient season I will send for thee Act. 24. 25. They judge this spirit to be a spirit of melancholy and therefore to drive it away they betake themselves to their merry company wine strong drink and the like This is all that many do care for the communion of the holy Ghost Some will say but we desire this communion more then so It is well but let all take heed of deceiving themselves as we are all apt to do Let our desire of this communion be proved rather then presumed and so I come to a second use of the point viz. for examination and triall Vse 2. Secondly therefore let us examin and try our selves whether the Communion of the holy Ghost which is so much to be desired be an object of our desires or no and let us try it thus 1. Are we sensible of the want of the spirit They that do not feel the want of a thing will never desire to enjoy it When Elisha desired of Eliah that he might have a double portion of his spirit Thou hast asked a hard thing said Eliah unto him Neverthelesse if thou see me when I am taken from thee it shall be so unto thee but if not it shall not be so 2 King 2. 10. Upon which answer of Eliah Bernard hath a no lesse Nunqnam absque conscientiâ nostrâ magistra unctio tollatur â— nobis si duplicato munere volumus non fraudari Bern. pious then elegant observation viz. that the spirit of God must never be absent from us but so that we are sensible of it if we would have the spirit to be doubled upon us 2. Do we affect those in whom is found the manifestation of the spirit they that are carnall love those that are carnall and so will they that are spirituall love those that are spirituall This is a speciall evidence of the holy Ghost dwelling in us if we delight in those in whom the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost do appear and shine forth David having much of Gods spirit in him and desiring still more calls the Saints excellent and professeth that all his delight was in them Psal 16. 3. And it is said of Barnabas that when he came to Antioch and had seen the grace of God which was there bestowed upon believers he was glad and exhorted them all that that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord And the reason follows immediately why he was thus affected For he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost Act. 11. 23. 24. 3. Are we carefull to use the means whereby to obtain the spirit It is but a fained and frivolous desire that doth not put forth it self in endeavours to obtain the thing desired Some pretend above others to magnifie the Spirit and to be all for the spirit yet vilifie the word which is the means whereby to obtain the spirit Surely the spirit which such vaunt of is none of Gods spirit but their own spirit not a spirit of illumination but of illusion not spiritus veritatis the spirit of truth but spiritus virtiginis a spirit of giddinesse Isai 19. 14. or as we read it a perverse spirit For God in his Covenant with his people joyneth his spirit
holy spirit is appropriated to the third Person of the Trinity but the other Persons are a spirit too they are indeed all one and the same spirit having all one and the same essence and nature the divine nature of Christ is called the spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. Being put to death in the flesh that is his humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is by his divine nature And our Saviour here in the Text having immediately before spoken of the Father the first Person of the Trinity saith God viz. the Father yet not excluding but including the Son and the Holy Ghost is a Spirit That God is a spirit may be further proved by these Arguments 1. That which is of most excellency must needs belong unto God O Lord how excellent is thy Name saith David Psal 8. 1. 9. His Name only is excellent saith he Psal 148. 13. Now as amongst all things substances so amongst all substances spirits are most excellent As substances are of more excellency then accidents so are spirits of more excellency then bodily substances the soul is more excellent then the body and Angels being meer spirits are more excellent then men who are not incorporeall as the Angels are God therefore being most excellent must needs be as a substance not an accident so a spirit not a bodily substance Indeed God is so excellent that no names can be found out whereby sufficiently to expresse his nature he infinitely transcends all other substances and all other spirits but yet apprehending God as we are able we cannot but attribute the names of substance and of spirit unto him 2. Invisible substances are called spirits by this our Saviour proved that he was not a spirit Luk. 34. 29. as the Disciples supposed because he was a visible substance The soul of man being a spirit is not visible so neither the Angells as being spirits They have indeed sometimes appeared unto men but that was only in respect of those bodies which for the time they assumed and after this manner hath God himselfe also appeared as we find in Gen. 18. and Gen. 32. and thus more especially by the Incarnation God viz. the second Person of the Trinity the Son one and the same God with the Father and the Holy Ghost was made visible by this means God was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 15. The Word was made flesh that is the Son of God God the Son was made man and dwelt among us and we behâ—ld his glory c. Joh. 1. 14. but God in himself as God is invisible so he is stiled 1 Tim. 1. 17. and so Joh. 1. 18. it 's said No man hath seen God at any time and 1 Tim. 6. 16. whom no man hath seen nor can see It 's said indeed of Moses that he saw him that is invisible Heb. 11. 27. that is by the eye of Faith which is the evidence of things not seen Heb 11. 1. he saw him like as Abraham saw Christs day many ages before Christ came into the world Joh. 8. 56. but properly Moses did not see God neither could see him God being as in that very place is expressed invsible 3. Gods immensity and ubiquity his being in every place yet so as not to be included in any place proves that he is a spirit For although not every spirit is immense and every where present neither the souls of men nor the Angells are so yet every substance that is so must needs be a spirit For bodily substances are necessarily limited and circumscribed they have their bounds within which they are contained He is not here for he is risen said the Angell to those that came to seek Christ in the sepulâ—hre Mat. 28. 6. Christ having a true humane body in that respect could not be both in the grave and out of it at the same time But God is every where at all times Do not I the Lord fill heaven and earth saith he Jer. 23. 24. God is said to be in heaven as there especially shewing forth his glory Heaven is my Throne saith he Esa 66. 1. but he is not confined there no the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee said Solomon to God 1 King 8. 27. therefore God is no corporeall substance but a spirit Vse 1. This serves to confute that grosse conceit of the Anthropomorphites who held God to have the form and shape of a man and thus absurdly doe now some simple ones conceive of God but if God be a spirit then he neither hath the shape of a man nor any other bodily shape whatsoever Ob. But it is said that God made man after his own Image and likenesse Ans That is not meant in respect of bodily shape as if God had the like shape as man hath But first because man is a rationall and understanding creature in which respect still since the fall man retains in him the Image and likenesse of God Jam 3. 9. Gen. 9. 6. And secondly as man hath dominion over the other creatures in this respect man is said to be the Image of God 1 Cor. 11. 7. Thirdly and principally man was at first made after the image and likenesse of God in that he was made righteous and holy Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. The image of God therefore is seated in the soul although it appear and shine forth in the body viz. as by outward and bodily actions man doth shew forth his reason and understanding and doth exercise authority over the creatures and if he be regenerate that righteousnesse and holinesse with which he is indued Ob. But in Scripture God is often said to have eyes ears hands c. Ans The Scripture speaks of God after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manner of men condescending to the weaknesse of our capacitie because we see with eyes heare with ears work with hands therefore these bodily parts and members are attributed unto God only to signifie that God doth exercise the same acts though not in the same manner as we exercise with and by these parts and members to shew that God doth see the Scripture attributes eyes to shew that he doth heare it attributes ears and to shew that he doth work it attributes hands unto him but properly God doth see without eyes hear without ears and work without hands having no bodily part or member whatsoever Vse 2. This also makes for the confutation of Papists who make pictures and images whereby to represent God whereas he is a spirit and so cannot be set forth by any bodily representations the second Commandement forbids the making of any image of similitude to represent God by it And what a strict charge doth Moses give the Israelites The Lord saith he spake unto you out of the midst of the fire ye heard the voice of the words but saw no similitude onely ye heard a voice Take ye therefore
the gods of the Nations See Esa 37. 16. are Idols saith the Psalmist Psal 96. 5. and the Apostle saith of them that they were without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. Is one Lord only one as Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed unto men to die once that is once and no more So here one Lord that is one and no more but one there is no other LORD no other God truly and properly so called but he only The words thus opened the Doctrine which I observe from them to insist upon is this That Doct. there is but onely one God truely and properly so called There be that are called gods saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 8. 5. in that respect there be gods many and lords many as he there addeth But some are falsly called gods as Idols which are somtimes called gods in respect of that opinion a false opinion which Idolaters have of them With whomsoever thou findest thy gods c. said Jacob to Laban he called his Idols his gods not that he did account them gods but he spake only in respect of that account which Laban did make of them so Ezekiah in his prayer unto God Of a truth Lord the Kings of Assyria have laid wast all the Nations and their Countries and have cast their gods into the fire he calls them their gods because they reckoned them as gods but so did not Ezekiah for he addes immediately for they were no gods but the worke of mens hands c Againe some are called gods improperly viz. because in a peculiar manner they resemble God in respect of some speciall dignity and eminency which they have over or above others Thus the Angells are called gods Thou madest him a little lower then the Angells Psal 8. 5. in the Originall it is Elohim that is gods And whereas it is said Psa 97. 7. Worship him all ye Gods it is thus cited Heb. 1. 6. Let all the Angells of God worship him In this sense also Princes Judges and Magistrates are called gods I have said ye are gods Psal 82. 6. Thou shalt not revile the gods Exod. 22. 28. in the Margent it is the Judges that Magistrates are there meant is cleare by the later part of the Verse nor curse the Ruler of thy people so God speaking unto Moses concerning Aaron Thou shalt be unto him said he instead of God Exod. 4. 16. that is Moses should be superiour to him he should instruct and direct him and apppoint him what he should say and do so Exod. 7. 1. And the Lord said unto Moses see I have made thee a God to Pharoah that is Moses should exercise power and authority over Pharoah he should bring plagues upon him and remove them from him at his pleasure but truly and properly so called there is but one God The Apostle having said that there are many that are called gods he adds But unto us there is but one God 1 Cor. 6. 8. so 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God This is life eternall to know thee the only true God c. Joh. 17. 3. Thou even thou art Lord alone Neh. 9. 6. For who is God save the Lord 2 Sam. 22. 32. The Lord he is God there is none else besides him Deut. 4. 35. The Heathen Philosophers and Poets though they would not strive against the streame but gave way to the common error of the times yet knew and somtimes also acknowledged this truth Plato Plato Epist 13. ad Dionys writing to Dionysius told him that when he did write seriously he made mention of one God when he wrote otherwise then he mentioned Aristot Metaphys lib. 12. gods in the plurall So Aristotle proves the world to be governed by one only and brings in that of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is is not good that there should be many Rulers viz. supreme let there be one Ruler and one King And he saith That as a governour in Aristot de Mundo if that book be his a ship and a generall in an Army so is God in the world and that there is but one God though he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. called by many names Thus also Phocylides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. There is one God wise powerfull and blessed And Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. In very deed there is but one God Many such sentences and sayings â—mò ipsum vulgus Ethnicorum uâ—um Deum confitetur Anima licet falsis diis exancillata cum tamen tesipiscit ut ex crapulá somno Deum nominat quod Deus dederit omnium vox est Judicem quoque contestantur illum Deus videt Deo commendo Deus mihi reddet O testimonium animae naturaliter Christianae Denique pronuntians haec non ad Capitolium sed ad coelum respicit Tert. Apol. Cum purant cum optant cum gratias agunt non Jovem aut Deos multos sed Deum nominant adeò ipsa veritas cogente naturâ etiam ab invitis pectoribus erumpit Lactan. l. 2. c. 1. are to be found in the writings of the Heathens and even the vulgar sort among them by their expressions which they somtimes used did shew themselves convinced of this truth that there is but only one God For as Tertullian observes they did use to say God sees I commend to God God will render unto me and the like And when they spake thus they did not he sayes look to the Capitol where they worshipped their false God Jupiter but to heaven where the true God hath his Throne and the like observation also hath Lactantius Reason also may demonstrate that there are no more gods then one For first Gods immensity and infinitenesse proves his Unity for if there were more Gods then one then either one should include another or not if one should include another then that which is included should not be infinite and so not God if one should not include another then neither should any of them be infinite For that which is infinite includes every thing but is it selfe included in nothing whence the Hebrews call God Makom that signifies place he containing all things but not contained himselfe in any thing Behold the heaven and heaven of heavens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kimchi in 1 Reg. 8 27. cannot contain thee said Solomon unto God 1 King 8. 27. upon which place Kimchi a Jewish Rabbin glosseth thus Thou art the place of the world but the world is not thy place God containeth the world but the world doth not contain God 2. God hath in him all excellency whatsoever His Name only is excellent Psal 148. 13. therefore there can be but one God For if there were many Gods then one must differ from another and so one should want some excellency which another hath and consequently should not be God Ob. But the Father is God the Son God and the Holy Ghost God Ans True yet all but
one God For these three are one 1 Joh. 5. 7. though three Persons yet one God Vse This serves first to confute the Papists to prove them guilty of Idolatry For though in word they confesse onely one God yet in deed they make many Gods giving divine worship and honour unto Saints and Angells they make vowes and prayers unto them whereas this honour belongs unto God only Call upon me saith God Psal 50. 15. When ye pray say Our Father c. saith our Saviour Luk. 11. 2. Vow and pay unto the Lord your God saith David Psal 76. 11. so Solomon When thou vowest a vow unto God c. Eccles 5. 4 Bellarmine himself In Scripturis nomen voti semper accipitur pro promissione factâ Deo Nam cum Scriberentur Scripturae S. Nondum caeperat usus vovendi Sanctis Bellarm de Cultu Sanctorum lib. 3. cap. 9. sect Praetered confesseth that in the Scriptures the name of vow is ever taken for a promise made to God And marke his reason For saith he when the holy Scriptures were written the use of vowing unto Saints was not begun It is without all question and therefore the more to blame they who besides and against the authority of the Scriptures did begin it afterwards So also they do in effect make the Pope a God taking themselves bound to believe all his determinations and to obey all his injunctions not presuming to examine and try whether they be true or false right or wrong whereas God only is capable of this honor Let God be true and every man a liar Rom. 3. 4. Call no man your Father upon earth so as to yeeld absolute obedience unto him for one is your Father which is in heaven Mat. 23. 9. yet Bellarmine sticks not to say that if the Si Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare Bellar. de Pontif. lib. 4. c. 5. §. Secundò quia tunc Pope should erre so as to command vices and forbid vertues all were bound to believe vices to be good and vertues to be evill except they would sin against their conscience He takes it for granted that all should do whatsoever the Pope injoynes without daring once to enter into the examination of it This is to make the Pope above an Angell and therefore equall with God for the Apostle doubted not to say If an Angell from heaven preach unto you any other Gospel then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. Vse 2. But to leave them there are also many others who though they pretend to believe that there is but one God yet indeed they make more Gods then one for the voluptuous person makes his belly his God Whose God it their belly saith the Apostle of some Phil. 3. 19. so the covetous makes mammon or riches his God If I have made gold my hope and said unto the fine gold thou art my confidence Job 31. 24. Job abhorred this but the covetous man is guilty of it The rich mans viz. the covetous rich mans wealth is his strong City saith Solomon Prov. 10. 15. and so Prov. 18. 11. The rich mans wealth is his strong City and as a high wall in his own conceit Hence the covetous person is called an Idolater Eph. 5. 5. and covetousnesse is called Idolatry Col. 3. 5. so whatsoever it is that any set their heart upon and put their trust in they make it their God the proud person also and the vain-glorious makes himself his God seeking himselfe in all that he doth and arrogating the good successe that he hath in any thing unto himself They sasacrifice to their net and burn incense to their drag because by them their portion is fat and their meat plenteous Heb. 1. 16. that is they ascribe all their plenty and prosperity to their own industry By the strength of mine hand have I done it and by my wisdome c. Thus vaunted the King of Assyria Esa 10. 13. and therefore he is taxed Esa 14. 14. as saying I will ascend above the heights of the clouds I will be like the most high So God bade the Prophet Ezekiel say unto the Prince of Tyrus Thus saith the Lord God because thine heart is lifted up and thou hast said I am a God I sit in the seat of God c. Why was this charged upon him because he ascribed all his greatnesse unto himself With thy wisdome and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasuries Vse 3. Let us therefore have a care to know and acknowledge the only true God to serve and worship him and him only Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt have none other Gods before me Exod. 20. 3. This is the first and great Commandement Mat. 22. 37 38. with Mar. 12. 29 30 the true God is a jealous God as he stiles himselfe Exod 20. 5. he will indure no corrivall no copartner My glory will I not give unto another saith he Esa 42. 8. 48. 11. Let 's know and consider that if we be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we have more Gods then one we have none at all but are even without God as the Apostle saith the Gentiles were who had a multitude of Gods Eph. 2. 12. And let us take heed of Polytheisme as in opinion whether directly with Pagans or by consequence with Papists so in practice in which respect we are much more prone unto it Let 's remember that of our Saviour Ye cannot serve God and mammon Mat. 6. 24. so not God and any lust whatsoever God will have our whole heart he will not yeeld that any besides him but only in subordination unto him should have any part of it Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty Hos 10. 2. THE FOURTH SERMON 1 JOH 5. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one BEfore I build any thing upon this Txet or deduce any thing from it I must assert and vindicate the Text it self I had rather that you should heare what is objected so as withall to heare what is answered then that as otherwise it might happen you should meet with the Objection and not know what Answer can be given unto it In this respect I like not that matters of controversie should be medled with but so as that the principall Objections should be produced and answered for otherwise the opposers of the truth may have great advantage and people are apt to be seduced or at least to stagger when either in books or conferences they find things objected which before they never had any notice of This therefore I will not now
built so the great house of the world that comprehends all things in it had God for the builder or maker of it Hence then the conclusion is this That God is Doct. he who made all things In the beginning God made Heaven and Earth saith Moses Gen. 1. 1. And then he shews distinctly how all the severall kinds of creatures were made of God So Neh. 9. 6. Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their host the Earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that is therein And Revel 4. 11. Thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Moses writing of the Creation makes no expresse mention of the Angels It seems that his purpose was onely to expresse the Creation of things visible yet they may be implicitly mentioned in the word Heaven thereby being meant all things in heaven all the host of heaven as it is expressed Gen. 2. 1. Neh. 9. 6. Now by the host of heaven are meant both the Sun Moon and Stars Deut. 4. 19. and also the Angels 1 King 22. 19. Howsoever though it be not so cleare when the Angels were created yet the Scripture is expresse for this that they were created and that they also as all other things are Gods creatures Praise ye him all his Angells Let them praise the Name of the Lord for he commanded and they were created Psa 148. 2. 5. By him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers c. Col. 1. 16. The light of naturall reason is sufficient to demonstrate that God made the world the heaven and earth and all things therein for whatsoever is must either be of it self or be made by some other if it be of it self then it is God for only God is of himself if it be made by some Quòd Deus mundum fecerit nulli tutius crededimus quà m ipsi Deo Aug. de Civit. Dei l. 11. c. 4. Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa other then either by God immediately or by that which was made by God so that either immediately or mediately all things are of him But as Austine saith that God made the world we do not more safely believe any then God himself His testimony is above all other arguments and ratiocinations whatsoever Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Heb. 11. 3. The work of the Creation is common to all the three Persons To the Father To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. to the Son All things were made by him Joh. 1. 3. By him were all things created c. Col. 1. 16. to the Holy Ghost The Spirit of God hath made me Job 33. 4. Vse 1. Hence let us see and consider the excellency of God and so give him the glory due unto him God is excellent Psal 8. 1. and because of his excellency he is to be glorified Psal 148. 13. Now Gods excellency appears by the creation of the world the world is a glasse wherein to behold Gods excellency His eternall power and Mundus est speculum Deitatis Godhead are clearly seen from the creation of the world being understood by the things that are made Rom. 1. 20. The heavens declare the glory of God Psal 19. 1. His glory is above the earth and Pulchra terra pulchrum coelum sed pulchrior ille qui fecit illa heaven Psal 148. 13. Whatsoever excellency is in any thing is from God and consequently much more in God and therefore the glory of all must be given unto God For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. Blessed be thy glorious Name which is exalted above all blessing and above all praise Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made heaven c. Neh. 9. 5 6. Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power for thou hast created all things c. Revel 4. 11. More particularly by the Creation of the world we may see 1. The excellency of Gods power that could make all things of nothing Philosophy tells us that nothing is made of nothing It is true in respect Ex nihilo nihil fit of naturall agents they must have some matter to work upon else they can do nothing But Divinity tells us that all things were made of nothing that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 11. 3. This is most true in respect of God a supernaturall agent By this God shewes himself to be God doing that which none can do but he One saith excellently If any besides One shall say I am God he must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew us such a world as this is and say this is mine of my making The Lord saith David is great and greatly to be praised he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the Nations are Idols but the Lord made the Heavens Psa 96. 4 5. The gods saith Jeremie that have not made the Heavens and the Earth even they shall perish from under these Heavens He hath made the earth by his power Jer. 10. 11 12. 2. The excellency of Gods wisdome who could make such an infinite variety of creatures and not the least or meanest of them but to have its use and office in the universe He hath established the world by his wisdome and hath stretched out Deus cum sit bonum nullo indigens bono non nisi ex benigno honitatis suae affectu mundum creavit Aug. Confess the heavens by his discretion Jer. 10. 12. 51. 15. O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all Psal 104. 24. 3. The excellency of Gods goodnesse Thou art good and doest good saith David unto God Psal 119. 68. This was it that moved him to make the world not that he had any need of the creatures for from all eternity he was most blessed and happy in himself but that he might communicate his goodnesse to the creatures The earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord saith David Psal 33. 5. And again The earth is full of thy riches so is this great and wide Sea c. Psal 104. 24 25. Moses saith of the severall things that God made God saw that it was good and of them all collectively that they were very good hereby intimating unto us as Austine observes that there was no Scriptura per omnia Dei opera subjungens Et vidit Deus quia bonum est completisque omnibus inferens Et vidit Deus omnia quae secit ecce bona valdè nullam aliam causam faciendi mundi intelligi voluit nisi ut bona fierent Ã
upon the earth regardeth and there is higher then they In a word let us consider this and comfort our selves with this that things do not come to passe by the will and pleasure of men for then indeed we might well fear what should become of us but by the will and pleasure of God who will order all for his own glory and his peoples good The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereat Psal 97. 1. And v. 8. Sion heard and was glad and the daughters of Judah rejoyced because of thy judgements O Lord. Vse 7. Finally as in respect of the work of Creation so also in respect of the work of preservation and providence God is to be glorified O blessed be thy glorious Name c. say they for thou hast made the Heavens c. and thou preservest them all Neh. 9. 5 6. So David exhorts saying O blesse God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard who holdeth our soul in life c. Psal 66. 8 9. But still we must remember this that we glorifie God not in word and tongue only but in deed and in truth that we praise him with our lives and not with our lips only Let your light so shine forth before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Mat. 5. 16. THE EIGHTH SERMON ACTS 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved THese words were spoken by Peter being full of the Holy Ghost v. 7. And he spake them of Christ Jesus Christ of Nazareth v. 10. He told the Jewish Rulers that this Christ is he in whom alone is to be found salvation Neither is there salvation in any other c. Salvation There is a temporall salvation that is a deliverance and freedome from some temporall danger as Exod. 14. 13. Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. And Exod. 15. 2. The Lord is become my salvation There is also eternall salvation which is called the salvation of our soules 1 Pet. 1. 9. This is a deliverance and freedom from eternall miserie Now its true of temporall salvation that there is not salvation in any other but in Christ onely As Christ is God so it 's he and onely he that can save temporally He is the God of salvation Psal 68. 20. In the Originall it is in the plurall number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of salvations All manner of salvation whatsoever belongs unto him as the author and worker of it So as Christ is Mediator there is no temporall salvation to be expected but in and through him For in him all the promises of God are yea and in him amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. But here in the Text we are to understand eternall salvation which is usually meant where Christ is spoken of as the purchaser and procurer of salvation And so it is said expresly that he is the Author of eternall salvation Heb. 5. 9. and which is equivalent that he hath obtained eternall redemption for us Heb. 9. 12. In any other Or by any other the Greek Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in like the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being oft put for by But here the phrase seems emphaticall implying that salvation is wholly contained in Christ and not to be found any where but in him only Nor any other Name That is Person as Acts 1. 15. The number of names together were about an hundred and twenty of names that is of persons Vnder Heaven This is not referred to those words nor any other name for no other neither under heaven nor in heaven is given unto men whereby to be saved Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psal 73. 25. But we must referre these words to the word given thus There is no other name given under heaven c. Among men The Angels in heaven never sinning needed none to be given among them whereby to be saved neither did God vouchsafe this mercy unto the Angels that sinned and therefore were cast out of heaven God spared not the Angels that sinned 2 Pet. 2. 4. This was Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love towards man Tit. 3. 4. To us a child is borne to us a son is given Isai 9. 6. So said the Prophet but not so the Angell not to us but to you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2. 11. The words hold out unto us this conclusion That Salvation is not to be found in any but in Doct. Christ only Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13. 8. He ever was and still is and ever shall be the only Author of salvation none ever were nor are nor ever shall be saved but only in and through Christ Jesus This Doctrine of salvation by Christ only hath been revealed from the beginning of the world throughout all ages though in a different manner and by degrees at first more darkly and sparingly afterwards more clearly and fully Search the Scriptures saith Christ for in them ye think to have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me Joh. 5. 39. By the Scriptures he means the Old Testament for as then no part of the New Testament was written And again in the same Chapter v. 46. Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me Moses was the first pen-man of holy Scripture and as Christ himself doth testifie he wrote of Christ And so we find he did and that in his first Book even about the beginning of it He records how immediately after man was fallen Christ was promised to be his Saviour God told the Serpent that the seed of the woman should bruize his head Gen. 3. 15. That is that Christ made of a woman Gal. 4. 4. should destroy the power of that old Serpent the Devill Rev. 20. 2. So also Moses relates how God promised unto Abraham saying And in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 22. 18. In thy seed that is in Christ Who took not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. and is called the Son of Abraham Mat. 1. 1. And we may observe how Christ at first was called more generally the seed of the woman but afterward more particularly the seed of Abraham But further all the Prophets did testifie of Christ and of salvation thorough him only This may be seen in the Prophets themselves if we peruse them diligently and compare their writings with the writings of the Apostles and Evangelists But because this would be a long businesse and it would require much time to demonstrate this in that manner I will only produce two or three places of the new Testament where thus much is clearly asserted Zacharias the Father of John the Baptist having
as he did to that Leper v. 3. I will be thou clean For he is not lesse willing to save those that come unto him then he is able He invites all to come and offers his grace unto all if they do come Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Esa 55. 1. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. 28. Therefore whatever thou art if thou beest sensible of sin if burthened with it if thine iniquities be gone over thine head and be as a heavy burthen too heavy for thee to bear as David complained of his iniquities Psal 38. 4. Come and cast thy burthen upon the Lord as he exhorts Psal 55. 22. Cast it upon the Lord Christ who is both able and also willing to beare it If thou beest as perplexed as the soul smitten Iaylor was who cryed out What must I do that I may be saved I say unto thee as Paul said unto him Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 30 31. So are we troubled for want of sanctification because grace is so weak and corruption so strong in us let us come unto Christ who is full of grace Ioh. 1. 14. And of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace V. 16. He is made of God unto us sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. His grace is sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12. 9. Though in us there be nothing but want and weaknesse yet in Christ is all fulnesse and all power I can do all things thorough Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. As the conies being in themselves weak yet provide for their safety by this that they make their houses in the rocks Prov. 30. 26. So let us get into the rock Christ and then how weak soever otherwise we be we are safe though the Devill our adversary be a lion a roaring lion and go about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5. 8. yet Christ is a lion as well as he Rev. 5. 5. yea a lion stronger then he more potent to save then he is to destroy He will bruise Satan under our feet Rom. 16. 20. Therefore be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6. 10. Ioab fled to the horns of the Altar and yet was never the better 1 King 2. but let us flie to Christ the horn of salvation and whatsoever the danger be that doth pursue us it shall not overtake us we shall either escape the thing it self or at least the evill of it we shall not be the worse but the better for it All things shall work together for our good Rom. 8. 28. Even death it self shall be gain unto us Phil. 1. 21. Vse 3. But as there is this consolation for us so is there also admonition to take heed least we fail or come short of the grace of God Heb. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And they neglect this so great salvation 1. Who expect salvation from any thing but Christ only And so do not only the Papists but also many simple and superstitious ones among our selves who build upon themselves their own righteousnesse their good prayers good meanings and the like whereas though all were indeed good as without a true faith in Christ nothing is good yet are they not so good as that it is safe to rest in them and to build upon them Paul was as good in every respect I dare say as any of these yet did he renounce all his own righteousnesse as not sufficient if God should contend with him and flie unto Christ and his righteousnesse as that which alone is sufficient unto justification and salvation Phil. 3. 9. 2. They who pretend to Christ and presume of salvation by Christ and yet indeed are aliens from Christ and have no interest in him they say that they believe in Christ and hope to be saved by Christ and yet live in their sins which Christ came to destroy For the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devill 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Therefore though Christ be never so able to save yet such as remain impenitent and disobedient shall have no salvation by him they have neither part nor portion in this matter Christ commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name Luk. 24. 47. No remission of sins thorough him without repentance Paul testified both to the Iews and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20. 21. As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. THE TENTH SERMON JOH 10. 30. I and my Father are one I Have * Serm. 7. p. 63. before shewed that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons yet but one and the same God Now I shall treat more particularly and more fully of the second Person the Son our Lord Iesus Christ and shall prove his Divinity which hath been much impugned both of old and of late yea is still at this day Christ himself here speaking of himself and of his Father affirmes that they are one that is as I shall indeavour to demonstrate one in essence and nature one and the same God And thus they to whom he spake these words did understand them as appeares by the Verses immediately following where it is said that the Iewes presently upon these words took up stones to stone him charging him with blasphemy for that he being a man did make himself God Indeed Calvin upon Abusi sunt hoc loco veteres ut probarent Christum esse Patr◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neque n◠Christus de Vnitate substantiae disputat sed de consensu quem cum Patre habet quicquid scilicet geritur à Christo Patris virtute confirmatum iri Calv. in loc the place likes not that these words should be made use of to prove the Godhead of Christ as the Ancients have done for he supposeth that Christ here speaketh not of the unity of substance but onely of the consent and agreement that he hath with the Father so that whatsoever is done by him is authorized and ratified by the Father But first Calvin himself for the thing viz. Christs Divinity and consubstantiality with the Father is expresse and full 2. So is the Scripture it self as shall be shewed in many places 3. Not only the ancient Writers have thus Hilar. de Trinit l. 8. interpreted it amongst whom Hilarie doth tax and confute the Arrians who expounded it of unity of will and consent but the later also Beza Zanchius c. 4. Christ having immediately before spoken of the power of his
Father brings in these words as Calvin also notes to prevent the objection that his adversaries might have made viz. that although the power of God whom he called his Father were never so great what was that to him What was it to prove that he could give eternall life unto his sheep and that none should pluck them out of his hand as he spake of himself V. 28. To meet with this objection Christ affirmes that he and his Father are one and consequently his Fathers power is also his power and none can therefore pluck his sheep out of his hand because none can pluck them out of his Fathers hand v. 29. The argument that Christ useth in these words is more firm and strong the words being understood of his being one with his Father in respect of substance then if they be understood of his unity with the Father in respect of will It is well observed by Junius against Sâ—cinus that In praecedentibus ad quorum confirmationem hoc afferâ—ur non agit Christus de suo Patris erga oves suas affectu sed de sua Patris ad salvandas oves potenâ—ia ut illa verba Neque rapiet cas quisquam è manu meâ neque quisquam potest eas eripere è manu Patris mei demonstrant clarissimè Jo. Jun. adversus Socinum p. 169. in the words before Christ speaks not meerly of his own and his Fathers affection towards his sheep but of his own and his Fathers power to save his sheep as is most clearly demonstrated by those words Neither shall any pluck them out of my Quocunque ergo modo exponantur illa Joannis verba sive primò de potentiae voluntatis unitate ut à nonnullis per illationem de unitate essentiae sive primò de unitate essentiae illativè de potentiae voluntatis ut ab aliis illud fixum manere debet essentiae unitatem hinc concludendam c. Ibid. p. 167. hand and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand And therefere whether the words be expounded as they are by some first of the unity of power and vvill and by consequence of the unity of essence or as by others first of the unity of essence and by consequence of the Hanc essentiae unitatem non autem solummodò voluntatis consensum significare voluisse Christum cum dixit Joan. 10. unity of povver and vvill yet still the unity of essence in Christ and the Father must be concluded from hence In like manner Zanchie urgeth Ego Pater unum sumus non solum Patrum omnium fermè doctissimorum hominum consensus verùm etiam contextus ipse evincit Conclusio enim Christi fuit oves meas è manu meâ eripere nemo potest eóque non possunt perire Raâ—io ab aquali imò eadempotentiâ suâ cum potentiâ Patris quae significatur nomine manus ducitur Nemo potest rapere de manu Patris quia major id est potentior omnibus est Ergò neque de manu meâ Ego enim Pater unum sumus Quid hîc aliud significat unum quà m unum non solùm consensu sed etiam omnipotentiá cóque naturá essentiâ Zanch. Respons ad Arrian Antith 37. this place against an Arrian saying that besides the consent of the Fathers and almost all the learned the very context it self doth evince so much that here not only the consent of will but the unity of essence is meant For that this was Christs conclusion None can pluck my sheep out of my hand and therefore they cannot perish And the reason is drawn from hence that he hath the same power that the Father hath None can pluck them out of my Fathers hand for he is greater that is more powerfull then all And therefore not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact. in loc out of my hand for I and my Father are one What can here be meant by one but one not only in consent but also in omnipotency and so in nature and essence After this manner also Theophylact in his Commentary upon the place Why saith he doth Christ say they shall never perish because none can pluck them out of my hand for that my Father that gave them me is greater then all neither can any pluck them out of his hand and therefore not out of my hand for my hand and the hand of my Father is one and the same for I and my Father are one in nature and essence and power Ob. But it may be objected that whenas the Jewes by these words conceived that Christ did make himself God and therefore would stone him as a blasphemer Christ intimated unto them that they did mistake his meaning which was not so to make himself God as they supposed but only in such sense as the Scripture doth sometimes attribute the name of God unto men V. 34 35 36. Ans I answer Christ might think this enough to shew how absurd and unjust their quarrell against him was by alledging that meer men are somtimes called Gods in the Scripture yet doth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Joan. 10. See also Zanch. de tribus Elohim l. 4. c. 5 follow that therefore he should acknowledg himself a meer man yea his own words do shew as Theophylact observeth that he makes a great difference betwixt himself others to whom the name of God is attributed He denies not himself to be God truly properly so called but rather confirms it For thus he argueth If they who have received their Divinity by grace are yet Gods and not traduced because so called what reason is there for you to tax me who am God by nature being he whom the Father hath sanctified that is set apart to be slaine for the world For tâ—ings set apart for God are said to be sanctified or to be holy It is manifest therefore that seeing the Father hath sanctified and separated me for the saving of the world I am not meerly like others that are called Gods but am God indeed For to save belongs unto him who is indeed God and not unto Man who is onely made a God by grace And further Christ having confuted the calumny of the Jewes by an Argument drawne from Scripture he goes on and fetcheth an argument from his works for the confutation of it If I do not the works of my Father believe me not but if I do though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him v. 37 38. The Jewes themselves did plainly perceive that Christ here did confirme that which he had spoken before of his being one with the Father and that his meaning was that he is one and the same God with the Father for hereupon they were still more inraged against him as it is
body as now it is in this life in comparison of what it shall be in the life to come Our vile body word for word according to the Originall it is the body of our vilenesse So that the blessed Mother of our Lord doth therefore magnifie the Lord because he so regarded her being of such low and mean estate in comparison of many others He hath put down saith she presently after in her Magnificat the mighty from their seat and hath exalted them of low degree Where also the word rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them of low degree is that from which is derived the other before mentioned The Rhemists here Vulg. exaltavit humlles also have and hath exalted the humble but not such as are vertuously humble are here meant by the force of the word that is used but such as are of low degree as is clear by this that they are opposed to the mighty such as are of high degree great and eminent in the world Besides what could have been more repugnant to true humility and lowlinesse of mind with which as with other graces we grant the Mother of our Saviour was replenished then to boast of it and to ascribe Gods bounty and favour unto it For these reasons both Jansenius and Maldonate learned men of the Romish Church do ingeniously confesse that not humility of mind but of estate is here meant 3. Whereas they pray unto all Saints departed an honour which is due onely unto God Psal 50. 15. Mat. 6. 9. Rom. 10. 14. this they do above all to our Lords Mother And here first they are no lesse ridiculous then impious in truning the Angels Salutation into a Prayer saying unto her Haile Mary c. wherein as a reverend Writer saith truly and wittily they do at once abuse the Virgin the Angell and the Salutation Againe some of their famous Doctors have So testifies Cassander one of their owne Authors in his Consultation avouched that whereas Ahasuerus promised to Esther the one half of his Kingdom if she would desire it God hath indeed given one half of his Kingdome to the Virgin Mary For his Kingdome consisting of mercy and judgement that part of it which concerns mercy they say he hath given unto her reserving to himselfe the other part concerning judgement or bequeathing it to his Son And thus also they speak in the forementioned Psalter Give O God thy judgement to Psalt B. Mar. Psa 71. the King and thy mercy to the Queen his Mother And the whole Book of Psalmes they have so metamorphosed and changed as instead of Lord to put in Lady and to ascribe that to her which David ascribeth to the Lord As Psal 7. In thee O Lady have I put In te Domina speravi de in i 〈…〉 is meis c. Usqu 〈…〉 Domina oblivis 〈…〉 In maâ—â—s tuas Domina commendo spiritum meum Domina refugium nostrum es in omni necessitate Venite ad eam omnes qui laboratis c. Ibid. Psal 2. my trust deliver my soul from mine enemies And Psal 12. or after the Hebrew the 13. How long wilt thou forget me O Lady And Psal 30. Into thy hands O Lady I commend my spirit And Psal 45. O Lady thou art our refuge in all our necessities And whereas Christ saith Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all that labour c. they apply it to his Mother and say Come unto her all ye that labour c. And if yet any thing can be more grosse they pray unto her to command her Son Bellarmine it seems was ashamed of this impiety for he complaines much of Calvin as being very injurious unto them in offering to charge them in this manner with great indignation he cries Quis nostrûm hoc dicit Cur non probat ullo exemplo Which of us doth speak so Why doth he not prove it by some example Yet their own Cassander for so he carried himself Cassand Consult as one of the Church of Rome though he disliked many things in it testifies that in some Churches publikely they did sing on this wise O O felix puerpera nostra pians Scelera jure Matris impera Redemptori happy child-bearing woman who dost expiate our wickednesse by the right of a mother command our Redeemer Surely if it be possible to dishonour God they do exceedingly dishonour him in presuming thus to honour her whom otherwise so we keep our selves within the bounds of sobriety we ought to honor But I leave this point and come to the other Doct. 2 which the Text doth hold forth unto us viz. That Mary the wife of Joseph was so the Mother of Christ as that neverthelesse when she bare him she was a most pure Virgin conceiving him not by the operation of man but by the power of the Holy Ghost Whereas it is said in the Text of the Holy Ghost it is meant of the Holy Ghost not as the matter but as the efficient in which sense it is said 1 Cor. 11. 12. All things are of God Again though the Holy Ghost only be expressed yet the other Persons of the Trinity are not excluded The Apostle speaking of the Father saith Of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. If all things be of the Father then Christs body was of him viz. as the worker and maker of it and as of the Father so also of the Son who is the same substance with the Father Ioh. 10. 30. And by whom likewise all things were made Ioh. 1. 3. Now that Mary was thus the Mother of Christ is evident both by the Text and also by that which goes before Mat. 1. 18. and that which followes after Mat. 1. 22 23 24 25. so by that Luk. 1. 34 35. Object It may be objected that Ioseph is called Christs Father Is not this Josephs Son said some of him Luk. 4. 22. Answ I answer They supposed so but it was not so as they supposed That this was but a supposition S. Luke shewes in the fore-going Chapter v. 23. where he saith that Christ was as was supposed the Son of Ioseph not so indeed but only as was supposed Object But may some say Mary her self did call Ioseph Christs Father Thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing said she to Christ Luk. 2. 48. Answ True but how did she mean that Ioseph was his father not his naturall father that begot him but his legall father as being the husband of his mother Ioseph also was Christs foster-father or nursing-father he who did educate him and bring him up Object But some may yet object if Ioseph were not Christs naturall Father how is Christs Genealogie fetched from Ioseph how is Christ shewed to be the Son of Abraham and of David by this that Ioseph did descend from Abraham Mat. 1. Luk. 3. and from David How doth this follow except as Ioseph did proceed from them so Christ did proceed from Ioseph Answ
the way as he stiles himself Ioh. 14. 6. was not then in the time of the Law so clearly revealed as now he is in the time of the Gospell before he was set forth more darkly under types and figures but now is plainly preached And so much for this second Opinion touching Christs descent into hell Thirdly some taking the word hell for the The third Opinion hell of the damned the â—ace where the damned are in torment which is the most usuall acception of our English word hell conceive and maintain that when Christ died his soul went thither there to triumph over Satan in his own Palace and this they hold to be the meaning of that in the Creed He descended into hell But that ever Christ was in that hell I can make no part of my Creed for I see nothing in Scripture upon which faith must be grounded for it but much against it 1. The Hebrew word Sheol and the Greek word Hades which are translated hell do not properly signifie the hell of the damned but are of a more large extent as I shall shew hereafter 2. The foure Evangelists as we use to call them Matthew Mark Luke and John writing professedly the History of our Saviour Christ from his Incarnation to his Ascension do neither directly nor by consequence neither expressely nor implicitely record any such thing as his going to hell as hell is taken for the place of torment And it is observable that S. Luke in his Preface to his Gospell tells Theophilus that he did write unto him that he might know the certainty of those things wherein he had been instructed Luke 1. 4. wherein he had been catechised as according to the Originall it doth sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that Christs descending into hell in this sense whereof S. Luke makes no mention was no part of Theophilus his Catechism 3. S. Paul rehearsing the chiefe heads of the Gospel which he preached to the Corinthians mentioneth Christs death and buriall and his resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4. but for his going to hell according to this Exposition he neither expresseth nor implyeth any such matter So that it was no part of the Gospell which Paul preached to the Corinthians and yet there was no deficiency in his preaching it was sufficient to save them v. 2. 4. These words of the Text in hand Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell together with S. Peters comment upon them Acts 2. shew that by hell is not to be understood the hell of the damned according to this Exposition For 1. It is spoken of as a great benefit a matter of joy and rejoycing that Christs soul was not left in hell Therefore my heart is glad and my glory my tongue Acts 2. 26. rejoyced my flesh also shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell c. Psal 16. 9 10. But is it to be accounted such a benefit such a matter of joy and gladnesse for one not to be left in that place to which he goeth to that end that he may triumph over his adversaries whom he hath conquered as they that imbrace this Exposition say that Christ went to the hell of the damned there to triumph over the Devills 2. S. Peter Acts 2. 31. saith David in these words Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell did speak of Christs Resurrection and so to that purpose to prove the Resurrection of Christ S. Paul Acts 13. 35. doth cite the later part of the Verse Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption But Christs Resurrection though it presuppose his being in hell in some sense yet not in that sense as hell is taken for the place where the damned are in torment Christ might well enough as he did rise againe and yet never be in that hell 3. That hell that Christ was not left in David was left in else S. Peter could not argue as he doth that David in these words Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell spake of Christ and not of himselfe for that the words being understood of David are not true but most true as understood of Christ Men and brethren said Peter to the Jews let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead buried and his Sepulchre remaineth with us to this day therefore being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworne with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loines according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit upon his Throne He seeing this before spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his soul should not be left in hell nor his flesh see corruption Acts 2. 29 30 31. By Davids Sepulchre remaining with them to that day S. Peter means that David was left in the hell which he speaks of and therefore did not speak of himself but of Christ who was not left in it So S. Paul having cited the words immediately following these of the Text Thou shalt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption he also proveth that this was meant of Christ and not of David For David saith he after he had served his own generation by the will of God fell on sleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption But he whom God raised again saw no corruption Acts 13. 35 36 37. David spake not of himself but of Christ when he said Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption because David did see corruption but Christ did not see it so David spake not of himself but of Christ when he said Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell because Davids soul was left in hell but Christs soul was not left in it This is the Apostles argument which necessarily evinceth that by hell here spoken of is meant some other thing then the place of torment for Davids soule was not left in that hell it never came into it that hell belonging not to the godly and elect but to the wicked and reprobate Therefore neither is this the hell in which as the words imply Christs soule was for a while though it did not remaine there 5. This Exposition of Christs descending into the hell of the damned there to triumph makes his descending into hell a part of his exaltation for it 's ones exaltation to triumph over his enemies But Christs descending into hell expressed in the Creed and intimated in the Scripture was a part of his humiliation Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell surely it was a part of Christs humiliation to be there seeing he speaks of it as a benefit and an argument of his joy and gladnesse as before noted that he was not to be left there Besides Christs Resurrection was the beginning and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb Demonst Evang. lib. 10. the first step of his exaltation therefore what went before his Resurrection as his descending into hell did belonged to his humiliation
The Apostle saith that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. And it is unquestionable that Christs death was a part and a chief part of his humiliation Therefore so long as he remained dead that is untill his Resurrection he was in the estate of humiliation 6. It appears by Scripture that when Christ died his soul went to heaven and therefore not to hell as taken for the place of torment which is most opposite and contrary unto heaven This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise said Christ to the penitent malefactour Therefore Christs soul being separated from his body went to Paradise which is all one with the third that is the highest heaven as was before shewed Some answer that Christ meant of himself in respect of his divine nature which is in all places and in Paradise or heaven in a more especiall manner in that respect they say Christ did promise the repentant thief that he should be with him that day in Paradise But first Bellarmine doth well refell this Bellar. de Beatitud Sanct. l. 1. c. 3. answer for that Christ promised that the thiefe should be where he was but in respect of his divine nature Christ was with the thief here in this world even then when he played the thief so that in this sense Christ in those words with me had promised no new thing unto him 2. The word of Christ cannot without doing violence unto them be otherwise taken then to import this that as the thief was then in respect of the body partner with Christ in pain and torment so that same day both their souls should be together where they should injoy blisse and happinesse Some therefore yeelding that those words with me have reference to Christ in respect of his soul say that Christs soul betwixt his death and his Resurrection might be both in heaven and in hell the place of torment one while in the one another while in the other But this is a groundlesse conjecture the Scripture Act. 2. clearly Videtur quòd usque ad horam resurrectionis manserit in inferno Aquinas part 3. qu. 5. art 4. enough sheweth that Christs soul from the time of his death was in the hell that it speaks of untill the time of his Resurrection Again some of the ancients do not without cause infer from those words of Christ which he spake when he gave up the Ghost Father into thy hands I commend my spirit For though Christs soul even in the hell of the damned might yet be said to be in the hands of the Father yet much Eusebius Emisenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juenricus Tunc clamor Domini magno conamine missus Aetheriis animam comitem commiscuit auris rather might it be said to be in his hands being in heaven Some arguments used in defence of this opinion are to be answered Ob. As first that drawn from Mat. 12. 40. As Jonas was three daies and three nights in the belly of the whale so shall the son of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth Here by the heart of the earth they understand hell the hell of the damned which they suppose to be in the heart or midst of the earth The Papists also make use of this place for their Limbus before spoken of but it makes for neither opinion For 1. The Scripture doth not declare where hell the place Qui ignis gehennae cujusmodi in quâ mundi vel regionum parte futurus sit hominem arbitror scire neminem nisi fortè cui Spiritus divinus ostendit Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 20. cap. 16. of torment to which the Papists make their Limbus to be contiguous is seated Austin speaking of the fire of hell saith that he supposed no man could tell of what kind it is or in what part of the world except perhaps Gods spirit did reveal it 2. In those words of Christ which are objected by the heart of the earth is meant the grave For Christs abiding so long in the heart of the earth was to be a sign to the Jews as the context sheweth therefore it was to be a thing apparent unto them which his abiding so long in the grave was but not his abiding so long either in Limb or in the hell of the damned For if ever Christ were there yet it was more then the Jews could see but they might see that at such a time he was laid in the grave and that he continued there untill such a time after Ob. Against this it is objected That the heart is put for the midst of a thing and therefore the grave being not the midst of the earth cannot be the heart of it Answ But in the Scripture that part of a thing which is betwixt the extremes though it be not equally distant from the extremes is called the midst or the heart Ezek. 14. 14. 16. 18. 20. where its said if Noah Daniel and Job were in it c. in the originall it is word for word in the midst of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it where by the midst of the Land is not meant precisely the middle part of the Land but any place within it S◠Ezek. 27. 4. Tyrus is said to be in the midst of the sea in the originall as the margent notes it is in the heart of the sea Yet this heart or midst of the sea was not exactly the middle of it for Tyrus as it is said there v. 3. was situate at the entry of the sea Ob. But Bellarmine yet further objects that Christs sepulcher seems to have been above the earth and not at all within it because it was hewn out of a rock as the Scripture telleth us Answ But this hindreth not why it might not be within the earth and that it was so the Scripture sheweth relating how a great stone was rolled to the mouth of the sepulcher Mat. 27. 60. and that John stooped down to look into the sepulcher Ioh. 20. 5. These circumstances argue that the sepulcher was beneath in the earth and therefore might well be called the heart of the earth Ob. Again they argue from Ephes 4. 9. where it is said That Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth which some will have to signifie hell the place of torment and the Papists will have Limbus Patrum to be meant Answ But 1. why the lower parts of the earth should denote the hell of the damned or Limbus Patrum if there had been any such place at all I do not see it being unknown to us as I said before where that hell is seated 2. Therefore Cajetans exposition is much better that by the lower parts of the earth Ad inferiores partes terrae i. e. ad inferiorem partem mundi terram Cajet ad loc Comparatur non una pars terrae cum altera sed tota terra cum caelo
how to reserve the uniust to the day of iudgement to be punished Chiefly those that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleannesse 2 Pet. 2. 9 10. 2. Swearers who never mention Christ but in their oaths never think of his sufferings his wounds his blood his death but to swear by them as much as in them lies they crucifie him again and again and continually make his wounds to bleed afresh Some such miscreants there are as Salvian complained of in his times They never lesse intend Nunquam minus cogitant quippiam facere quà m cum iurant per Christum se esse facturos Salv. de Gubernat l. 4. to do a thing then when they swear by Christ that they will do it Yea those things that are most evill and odious unto Christ they Cogitant se scelera etiam religiosè facturos Salv. Ibid. will swear by Christ that they will do as if saith he they thought that by this means their wicked acts shall be done religiously 3. Such as sleight or prophane the Ordinances of Christ his Word and his Sacraments Instead of observing that of the Apostle Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome Col. 3. 16. they are like those Jer. 6. 10. The Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them and they have no delight in it So for the Sacraments they think with Naaman Are not Abana and Parphar rivers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israel 2 King 5. 12. What is there more in the water of Baptisme then in other water What more in the bread and wine on the Lords Table then in bread and wine elsewhere 4. Such as despise and hate traduce and persecute Christs members These more especially shall give an account unto him who is ready to judge both the quick and the dead All the respect that is shewed unto the members of Christ and so all the indignity that is done unto them Christ at the last Judgement will take as shewed and done unto himselfe Come ye blessed c. For I was an hungred and ye fed me c. Forasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Mat. 25. 34. c. On the other side Depart from me ye cursed c. For I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat c. Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these my brethren ye did it not to me V. 41. c. Therefore whoso shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Christ it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Mat. 18. 6. 5. They who in place and office are the Ministers of Christ but do not take heed to the Ministery which they have received in the Lord to Col. 4. 17. fulfill it How strictly did Paul charge Timothy to have a care of this setting before him Christs coming to Judgement I charge thee therefore said he before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge both the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome preach the Word be instant in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 4. 1 2. So Peter The Elders that are among you I exhort c. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. See Mat. 24. 45 51. Vse 2. Secondly here is comfort for those that belong unto Christ and have interest in him what need such to fear condemnation whenas it is Christ by whom they shall be judged He Advocatus noster factus est judex noster Greg. hom 34. in Evang. that is our Advocate who maketh intercession for us he shall be our Judge and how then shall we be condemned Though Satan be as his name imports and S. Peter terms him our adversarie 1 Pet. 5. 8. though he cease not to accuse us Rev. 12. 10. Yet we repenting and believing in Christ may say with the Apostle Who is he Rom. 8. 34 that condemneth seeing Christ is he that judgeth When the wicked shall be at their wits end and shall say to the mountains and to the rockes fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand Rev. 6. 16 17. Then shall all true believers lift up their heads for that their redemption is at hand Then shall they say L◠Luk. 21. 28. this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Esa 25. 9. Vse 3. Thirdly and lastly let us be admonished to consider Christ and to think of him not only as a Redeemer but also as a Judge let 's know and consider that as Christ came once to save sinners so he will come againe to condemn sinners even all impenitent sinners His first coming was in humility and meeknesse his second coming will be in majesty and terrour For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall render to every man according to his works Mat. 16. 27. So Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of Man shall come in his glory and all the holy Angels with him then shall he fit upon the Throne of his glory The terriblenesse of Christs coming to judgement is lively set forth by the Apostle 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Well might he say as he did Knowing therefore this terror of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. Let us take heed lest we now despise that sweet invitation Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you ease Mat. 11. 28. lest hereafter we hear that dreadfull denuntiation Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Let us remember that of Paul The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.
power of God and yet would blaspheme and say that he did it through Beelzebub the Prince of Devills which occasioned Christ to speak of the sin against the Holy Ghost and of the unpardonablenesse of it Mar. 3. 22. 30. 3. Some stirring of the affections this is likewise an operation of the Holy Ghost common to the wicked with the godly thus the Holy Ghost did operate in Agrippa when he said unto Paul Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Act. 26. 28. And so in Felix when hearing Paul speak of righteousnesse temperance and judgement to come he trembled Act. 24. 25. 4. Some restraining grace whereby to withhold from acting the evill which otherwise one would act this also the Holy Ghost doth work as well in the unregenerate as in the regenerate It is probable that this was all that was wrought in Abimelech to whom God said that he withheld him from sinning against him and suffered him not to touch Sarah as he thought to have done Gen. 20. 6. These operations of the Holy Ghost are common 2. There is an operation of the spirit which is proper to the Elect. As 1. Regeneration whereby one is so changed as in a spirituall sense to be borne again and to be a new creature That which is born of the spirit is spirit John 3. 6. Not by works of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost that is renewing wrought by the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly thorough Iesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3. 5 6. This work of the Holy Ghost is peculiar to the Elect. God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation thorough sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 2. 13. In respect of this operation of the spirit some are sensuall not having the spirit Jude v. 19. 2. Direction whereby to be guided in all necessary and saving truth and to be kept from all destructive and damnable errour either in opinion or practice I will put my spirit wtthin you and cause you to walk in my statutes c. Ezek. 36. 27. When the spirit of truth is come he wil guide you into all truth Joh. 16. 13. This promise might have peculiar reference to the Apostles who were guided by the spirit after an extraordinary manner but in respect of things necessary unto salvation it belongs to all believers and to them only For as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom. 8. 13. 3. Consolation and incouragement in greatest troubles and afflictions The Holy Ghost is called the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16 17 15. 26. 16. 7. The wicked and reprobate may have some comfort and incouragement but it is frothy and fading whereas that which is wrought in the godly by the Holy Ghost is solid and permanent We glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God the assurance of Gods love to us in Christ is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 3 4 5. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse together with our spirits that we are the children of God and if children then heirs c. Rom. 8. 16 17. By the spirit the Saints are sealed unto the day of Redemption Ephes 4. 30. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. As a seale serves to confirm a writing and an earnest to make a bargain sure so the children of God by the Holy Ghost are confirmed in their faith and assured of Gods love towards them and of their eternall happinesse The seven and twentieth SERMON HAving discoursed in generall of the Holy Ghost I come to the Doctrine which the words of the Text do offer unto our consideration viz. That the communion participation society Doct. and fellowship of the Holy Ghost is a thing much That which in the Text is called the Communion of the Holy Ghost is called Phil. 2. 1. the fellowship of the spirit As the same word in the Originall that is rendred in the one place communion in the other fellowship to be desired The Apostle in the very conclusion of his Epistle praies for those to whom he writes that they might enjoy this communion which argues that it is a thing very precious and desirable The same may appear by that which we read of Elisha who when Eliah being to be taken from him bad him ask what he should do for him made only this request I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me 2 Kings 2. 9. The meaning is not as some are apt to mistake it that Elisha desired to have twice as much of the Spirit as Eliah had but the phrase there used is the same with that which is used Deut. 21. 17. and from thence the true and genuine meaning is to be fetched There it is said that the first born was to have a double portion word for word the mouth of two that is he was to receive twice as much of his Fathers substance as any of his brethren So Elisha desired that he might be reckoned as Eliahs first borne and that he might have twice as much of the Spirit which was upon him as the other Prophets should have Thus is the place to be understood but still it shewes what account Elisha who had already so much of the Spirit as to know the worth of it did make of this communion of the Holy Ghost David also by whom the Spirit of the Lord did speak as he said 2 Sam. 23 2. when his conscience was afflicted for his foule and grievous enormities was very sollicitous in this respect lest he should not injoy the communion of the Holy Ghost as he had done Cast me not away from thy presence saies he unto God and take not thy holy Spirit from me Psal 51. 11. And v. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and stablish me with thy free Spirit How the communion of the Holy Ghost is to be prized we may likewise perceive by those exhortations of the Apostle Quench not the Spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. Grieve not the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. Be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5. 18. So also by that commemoration which the people of God made unto him of his singular favour shewed unto their Fathers Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them Neh. 9. 20. For the further confirmation of the point let us consider 1. The excellency of this communion which appears by the excellency of the Holy Ghost This Spirit is called good Neh. 9. 20. excellent Dan. 6. 3. the spirit of wisdome Eph. 1. 17. the spirit of truth Joh. 15. 26. 16. 13. the spirit of grace Zach. 12. 10. Heb. 10. 29. the spirit of life Rom. 8.
the members of a Church to Covenant together about those things that concern them viz. for the reforming or preserving of the Church from grosse corruptions that have got or are likely to get into it Thus Asa and the people of Judah entred into a Covenant as we read 2 Chron 15. But ordinarily such a Covenant is not necessary We read of many Churches planted by the Apostles yet of no such Covenant only we find that the members of the Church were admitted into it by Baptism by which all do vertually Covenant one with another Then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls And they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers Act. 2. 41 42. For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. There is one body and one spirit c. one Lord one faith one baptisme Ephes 4. 4 5. Having hitherto spoken of those notes of the True notes of the Church Church which the Papists and others do erroneously assign I come now to the true notes of it and they are these 1. The sound preaching of the word this is 1. The second preaching of the word a principall note whereby the Church is to be discerned For 1. The word is that whereby the members of the Church are begotten Being born again not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized Act. 2. 41. And so by the preaching of the word the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved v. 47. 2. The word is that whereby the members of the Church are nourished As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 2. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ c. Ephes 4. 11. 12. And now brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up c. Act. 20. 32. 3. The ministery of the word being taken away the Church ceaseth I will remove thy candlestick out of his place except thou repent Revel 2. 5. As if he should say I will dischurch thee I will make thee cease to be a Church viz. by taking away the word and ministry For in that respect Churches are called candlesticks Revel 1. 20. because they hold forth the light of Gods word by the ministry and dispensation of it A false and corrupt Church is known by false and corrupt doctrine Therefore on the other side a true and sound Church is known by true and sound doctrine True it is false doctrine may get into a true Church and through the prevalency of false teachers may bear sway in it but if it come to prevail so far as that all must either subscribe to it as in the Church of Rome or els they can have no communion with it then it ceaseth to be a true Church I mean such as wherein it is lawfull to abide but there is a necessity of making separation from it Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins c. Rev. 18. 4. and so far forth as any Church is infected with false doctrine so far forth it degenerateth into a false Church I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospell Gal. 1. 6. I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed on you labour in vain Gal. 4. 11. the Apostle feared least by that corruption of doctrine that was in the Churches of Galatia they would quite be dissolved and come to nothing And Christ speaking to the Angell or Pastor of the Church in Pergamus in the name of the whole Church saith thus But I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit fornication So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate Repent or els I will come unto thee quickly c. Revel 2. 14 15 16. 2. Another true note of the Church is The 2. The right administration of the Sacraments right administration of the Sacraments When Christ sent his Apostles to gather his Church he commanded them as to preach so also to baptize Mat. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost That of the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 17. Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel is not to be taken simply and absolutely that the Apostle was not at all sent to baptize for no doubt he had the same Commission as the other Apostles had and besides he there testifieth that he did baptize some though not many v. 14. 16. whereas if Christ had not sent him to baptize he might not have baptized any It is therefore spoken comparatively like that Receive instruction and not silver Prov. 8. 10. that is rather then silver and that I desired mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6. 6. that is rather then sacrifice So here Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell that is not so much to baptize as to preach the Gospell But though in that Commission Mat. 28. 19. onely Baptisme is expressed as being the Sacrament of initiation that whereby we solemnly enter into the Church yet there is also the Sacrament of the Lords Supper which is to be administred in and celebrated by the Church See 1 Cor. 11. 23. c. These Sacraments as they are seals of the Covenant which God hath made with his Church so are they badges and cognizances whereby the Church is knowne and discerned For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body whether we be Jewes or Gentiles whether bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. As these Sacraments are more or lesse purely administred so the Church is more or lesse pure 3. A mutuall connexion and due order of 3. A mutuall connexion and due order of the parts and members of the Church the parts and members of the Church this is also a note and mark of it As in a naturall body the parts and members are united together and fitly ordered so is it in the mysticall body the Church 1. There must be union and connexion of the parts and members Let us not forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Heb. 10. 25. Mark those that cause divisions c. Rom. 16. 17.