prepare a table for us so they say Can God helpe us in sicknesse Can he helpe us in affliction so likewise they presume to sinne and so take away the justice of God for though hee brings his judgements to light every day yet they will not learne to feare and be ashamed And so they soothe themselves as the Prophet complaines That every one that doeth evill is good in the sight of God or he delighteth in them or say where is the God of Iudgement so they take away wisedome and mercy from him as was shewed out of Ieremy But a Christian must beleeve the properties of God that he is powerfull therefore to trust and relye upon him Iust therefore to beleeve his promises wise therefore to be guided by him We may see a worthy example hereof in Hezekiah 2 King 19. 15. When Senacherib went against Ierusalem he told them that hee had destroyed such and such places and countries and their goods and shalt thou be delivered Then Hezekiah came before the Lord told it him spread the writing before him and prayed to the Lord. Thirdly we beleeve that God is our God by the meanes of Christ this is the maine point of all not to beleeve God in generall onely but to bring him home to our selves and to be perswaded that he is our God so the holy people as Esay shewes said This is our God we have waited on him and he will save us If he be our God that then whatsoever is in him as his power wisedome mercie justice love and goodnesse it doth appertaine to us wee shall have the benefit this faith is a comfort and that which God respects Thomas could have no comfort of his Faith till he could say My Lord and my God and Christ when he would comfort his Disciples at his departure saith Goe tell my brethren I ascend to my God and your God to my Father and your Father so if once a man come to this that he can perswade himselfe that God is his God by the meanes of Christ this will comfort and give him more peace than the world can yeeld The use is that seeing God is our God therefore we should respect and love him and be desirous to please him in our courses Mich. 4. 5. For all people will walke every one in the name of his God but we will walke in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever therefore as we doe professe that God is our God we must labour to please him in all our courses be loth to doe any thing that may displease him It was the speech of Delilah to Sampson Iudges 16. 15. How canst thou say thou lovest mee when thy heart is not with me so how can we say that we love God when our courses shew to the contrary it is a pittifull thing to see how men doe not regard God they doe so toile themselves with their labours that so soone as they be set in the Church they are fallen fast asleepe men professe they beleeve God is their God and yet doe not respect nor serve him In the 1 Sam. 9. mention is made of Samuels feast unto the people where one speciall dish given before unto the Cooke is brought forth it was a shoulder set up onely for the king that none but he should have it in like manner it should bee our wisedome so to spend our strength about the world in the weeke time that we reserve a part for the Lords Sabboth to doe him service with Hitherto God hath beene considered as he is in himselfe now wee come to speake what God is in relation and there is a twofold relation of God 1. To the Trinitie 2. To the Creatures First God stands in relation to the three Persons for I beleive in God stands in relation to the Father to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost Here are foure points of Faith to be beleeved 1. That there is a distinction of Persons in the Godhead 2. That there is a divine Person called the Father 3. That he is the Father of Christ 4. That he is our Father by the meanes of Christ First we beleeve that there is a distinction of Persons for though there be but one in Substance Essence and Power yet there bee three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead as 1 Iohn 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one and so Matth. 28. in the charge that Christ gave his Disciples when he sent them out to preach in the Name of the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost and elsewhere the Scripture doth teach distinction of Persons as Ioh. 5. 30. I can doe nothing of my selfe as I heare I judge and my judgement is just because I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father that sent me so Iohn 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things So then wee see plainely that the Father is a distinct person from the Sonne and the Sonne a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Ghost a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne There is a difference betweene the Faith of a Christian and a Turke the one beleeveth in one God distinct in three persons the other in one God without distinction of persons Now there bee two grounds that overthrow this opinion of the Turkes first it is a rule in Divinitie that whatsoever as God reveales himselfe to be so we must beleeve he is but God hath revealed himselfe to be one God and three Persons therefore so we must beleeve for no man can dive into the bottome of God to know what he is but he must reveale himselfe to us so Ioh. 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of the Father he hath revealed him and 1 Timoth. 6. 16. saith the Apostle speaking of God Who onely hath immortalitie and dwelleth in the light that no man can attaine to whom never man saw neither can see unto whom be honour and glory everlasting Amen And therefore as a man going into the Sea in danger or to swimme so farre as his Corke will carry him up so farre he may goe safely but if this faile to carry him up he makes a stand and ventures no further in like manner so farre as our Corke will carry us up so farre we may walke safely so farre as we have warrant out of Gods Word but if we have no warrant out of Gods Word let us make a stand and goe no further therefore as God hath revealed himselfe so we must beleeve but he hath revealed himselfe to be one God and three distinct Persons and so wee must beleeve The second ground is that it is not possible to redeeme man without distinction of Persons for God the Father being offended with
gives them to performe their charge 4 The Authoritie First before Christ sends his Disciples He armes them saith he Peace be unto you It is a strange thing that seeing there is such great good offered in the Gospell that it should be so unwelcome one would have thought it would have beene entertained and received joyfully but Christ knew that of all messages this is unwelcomest and therefore Christ faies Behold I send you as sheepe among wolves though yee bee as sheepe yet yee shall meete with wolves and what is that he comforts thē with that God is at peace with them this is all the armor he fences them with against the unkindnesse and hard dealings of the world to know that God is at peace with them and loves them by the meanes of Christ so Ioh. 16. he saith In the world ye shall have trouble but in me ye shall have peace be of good comfort for I have overcome the world this may teach us that if a Christian bee at peace with God and knowes that his sinnes bee pardoned and that God loves him by the meanes of Christ here is enough to beare him out against al the encounters and unkindnesses that the world affords therefore when a Christian man is in any trouble or affliction let him descend into his owne heart and see if God be at peace with him by the meanes of Christ that his sinnes are pardoned and that he knowes he shall bee saved this will give a man comfort so we see Lam. 3. the Church did and Ier. 14. saith he in the greatest distresse that might be The Lord is my portion saith my soule therefore will I hope in him I have shewed you heretofore that if a man fall into the hands of theeves and robbers and they robbe him and take away his goods or his money if hee hath a jewell of infinite price about him and they leave him that hee will say Lord I thanke thee I have my jewell still howsoever I have lost my goods and my money so a man may say though sicknesse had taken away my health and bad neighbours my money yet Lord I thanke thee I have my jewell I have my peace with thee and assurance that my sinnes bee pardoned Heb. 10. 34. it is said of the good people That they suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance so as long as a man hath peace of conscience pardon of his sinnes hope of Heaven he is armed and fenced against all troubles and all the unkindnesses the world can offer unto him The second is the Commission As the Father sent me so send I you here are two things to be considered 1. Who it is that sends 2. To what end he sends First by whom they were sent by Christ As my Father sent me so send I you thence we learne It is Christ that is the Authour of all Ministery he it is that sends Ministers to the Church as Matt. 23. 34. Behold I send unto you Prophets and wise men Scribes c. so Esay saith The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me so it is Christ that is the Author of all Ministery as Ephes. 4. 14. When he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And these were the gifts He therfore gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastors and some Teachers so it is Christ that sends Ministers at this day but yet there is a difference for he sent the Apostles immediately by himselfe and hee sends Ministers at this day mediatly by the meanes and authority of the Church Now there are good uses to be made of this point some that do concerne us Ministers and some that doe concerne you First seeing it is Christ that sends us hee will assist and blesse us in our labours as Matth. 28. Goe and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Secondly seeing it is Christ that sends us we must doe the businesse and the worke he sends us to doe so Christ saith of himselfe Iohn 5. 30. Because I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father that sent mee If a Merchant should send his servant beyond sea to bee a Factor for him who should apply himselfe to gather money and to make an estate to himselfe neglecting his master hee may looke for a cold welcome home so seeing he hath sent us to bee Factors for him and to doe his businesse if wee shall apply our selves to get money and to make an estate to our selves and so leave the Lords businesse undone wee may looke for a cold welcome home when we shall goe to God Thirdly seeing it is Christ that sent us we must give our accompt to him at the day of judgement for every man must give account to him that sends him we see Luke 10. that the Disciples being sent of Christ to preach they returne againe and give account of that they have done And so in Iob. 2. the divell being sent of God returnes againe to tell what he hath done Now the uses that concerne you be these First seeing it is Christ that sends Preachers yee must learne to acknowledge the great goodnesse of Christ that he would make any sending to such as ye be it had beene much if he had sent to us men when we had sought him and turned to him but that he should send when we had not a thought of him but were sinning against him this is a farre greater mercy therefore how thankefull should we be to Christ that he sends to us Daniel chap. 6. 22. doth acknowledge this as a great blessing saith he My God hath sent his Angell and hath shut the mouthes of the Lions that they have not hurt me so wee are to acknowledge it a great mercy and kindnesse of God to send his Preachers and Ministers not when wee lay bound in the Lions denne but when wee lay fast bound with the divels and hath preserved us from them It was a great kindnesse and favour that Ioseph would send to his father and to his brethren and bade them leave all and come into the land of Egypt and willed them that they should not care for their stuffe for they should have the best of the land notwithstanding the unkindenesse of his brethren Iosephs brethren were not so unkinde to him as wee bee to Christ and yet wee may see the goodnesse and the mercy of the Lord Iesus that hee should send to such as we be Secondly seeing Christ sent Preachers and Teachers then it is your duties to receive them Esay saith The Lord sent me and Ieremie said so when the people would have stoned him one would thinke it were enough to
and Archangels Principalities and Powers Kings and Princes Now there bâ—e many eminencies and excellencies but at the day of judgement Christ shall put downe all rule and authoritie under his feete and then God shall be all in all Secondly God shall be all in all in the fulfilling of the hearts of his servants with grace and goodnesse God is not all in all now in the hearts of his servants he is but something as Chastitie in Ioseph Constancie in David fortitude in Sampson wisedome in Salomon But then God shall be all in all to them we are all like to a bottle that hath at narrow neck that is east into the Sea and cannot fill all at once but receive the water drop by drop but at the day of judgement God shall fill our hearts and soules with all grace and goodnesse Saint Ierome saith well Now God is by a few vertues in us but then he shall be all in all in filling our hearts with graces and vertues and Augustine saith out of this place what is that Paul saith that God shall be all in all whatâ—oever the heart of Man can wish or desire that God will be to a Christian therefore dost thou desire meate and drinke God will be meate and drinke to thee dost thou desire peace God will bee all in all to thee in whatsoever thy heart can wish for and this is the end why Christ shall render up the Kingdome unto his Father that God may be all in all SERMON LIII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you THe Creede as Tertullian termes it is the rule how to â—rder our Faith both concerning God and the Church of God And there are two rules to order our Faith by First that there are three Persons and but one God in substance and in essence and as there are three Persons and but one God So wee must labour to bee all one because we must seeke to resemble God as much as may be although we cannot be one in substance yet wee must be all one in affection and will So it is said Acts 4. 32. that the number of them that beleeved were all of one heart and of one minde and Christ prayes Iohn 17. 21. that as the Father and he is one so all his people may bee one And Rom. 15. 6. the Apostle prayes that they may with one minde and with one mouth praise God even the Father of our Lord Iesus as there is unitie in God so there must be unitie in us It was the Divell that first made division in the World hee divided Man from his God and Man from Man in the most deerest and neerest societie for the divided Adam from his wife and so it is the devill that makes division still in the world as Revel 6. 4. it is said of him There was power given him to take away peace c. So then all division proceedeth from the Divell God hee makes peace but it is the Divell that makes division and therefore it is our duty as God is one so we to labour to bee one though wee cannot in substance yet in affection and will The second Rule is that although they be one in Substance and Essence yet they be three distinct Persons the Father created Man by his power and he Sonne redeemed Man by his blood the Holy Ghost sanctified Man by his Spirit So all these three estates in Heâ—ven concurre and worke together for the good of Man And therefore it is a piteous thing that Man is found to be enemy to himselfe Hence then let every one consider how worthâ—ly doe Men perish and goe to Hell seeing all the Divine Persons worke for Mans good and hee alone is found enemy to himselfe Now we have spoken already of the first Person and also of the second at this present are come to speake of the third Person whereto foure things are to be considered 1. That the Holy Ghost is God 2. That he is a person having a Reall subsisting and that hee is distinct from the Father and the Sonne 3. That he is not onely holy in himselfe but hee is the Effecter and Causer of Holinesse in others 4. That as he makes others holy so he will make me holy and give mee such a measure of Sanctitie as shall bee fit for mee First That the holy Ghost is God it is a ground in Divinitie that hee that beleeves should beleeve in God and in no creature but wee are taught to beleeve in the holy Ghost therefore it is a surething that the holy Ghost is God But for the truth of this point because it is one of the grounds of our Christian faith I will prove it by Scripture and by reason First by Scripture Act. 5. 3. saith Peter to Anâ—nias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lye unto the holy Ghost and in the very next verse Thou hast not lyed to man but unto God Againe 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one what one are they but one God The Papist telleth us that the Divinitie of the holy Ghost cannot be proved by the Scripture but by tradition but this is erroneous and false and there are Schoole-men teach to the contrary as Thomas Aquinas who saith A man must speake nothing of God or beleeve nothing but what is found in Scripture either in expresse words or sense and therefore if it cannot be proved by the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is God we are not to beleeve it because wee are to beleeve nothing but that which is grounded upon the Scripture Another of them saith that he can bring a whole swarme of testimonies to demonstrate unto us the Divinity of the holy Ghost So then we see it may strongly be confirmed by Scripture that the holy Ghost is God and Cyrill saith that it is the holy Ghost that is the inditer of the Scripture and therefore he testifieth of himselfe and revealeth himselfe as much as is fit and needfull for us to know of him that which he hath written of himselfe we may be bold to speake of And Augustine saith that all the ancient Fathers have laboured to confirme this by Scripture that there is three distinct Persons and one God besides in the Remish Testament 1 Iohn 5. 7. we finde observed upon the note of One that there be three divine persons in the Trinitie and therefore this doth affirme the God-head of the holy Ghost but here seeing it is so plaine by Scripture and by the testimonies of the Fathers and by their owne Schoole-men as many as bee well advised that the holy Ghost is God wee need not doubt of the truth of
it but for the unbeleevers sake if any should be here I will give foure reasons to prove it First because it is proper to none but God to be in all places at one time as Ierem. 23. 24. Doe not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord This is the propertie onely of God on bodily substance can because they cannot be but in one place at one time and must be bounded in their owne essence but the Holy Ghost is in all places he is in heaven and earth and in the hearts of the faithfull all the world over therefore the Holy Ghost is God I but some man may say the light of the Sunne is all the world over To this I answer although the light of the Sunne be all the world over yet there are divers parts of it But the Holy Ghost is all one and the same and is not divided but he fils heaven and earth and hee is in the hearts of the godly all the world over and therefore the holy Ghost is God Secondly Because none but God can create and make things of nothing none but God knoweth all things none but God can give gifts of grace to his servants but the Holy Ghost doth all this and therefore the Holy Ghost is God First we may see the Holy Ghost creates as well as the Father and the Sonne as Iob 33. 4. The Spirit of the Lord hath made mee and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life So Psal. 33. 6. By the Word of the Lord were the heaven and the earth made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Secondly no man knoweth the things of God but God the Holy Ghost knoweth all and therefore he is God as 1 Cor. 2. 11. For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Thirdly none but God gives gifts of grace to men but the Holy Ghost doth therefore the Holy Ghost is God Now that the Holy Ghost doth give gifts and graces it is plaine 1 Cor. 12. 6. There are diversities of operations but God is the same that worketh all seeing then it is the Holy Ghost that doth create that knoweth the things of God and that gives gifts of grace into the hearts of men therefore the holy Ghost is God Thirdly No man is to be baptised into the name of any creature but into Gods only but wee are commanded to be baptised into the name of the Holy Ghost therefore the Holy Ghost Now that no man is to be baptised into the name of any creature it is plaine by the Apostles words 1 Cor. 1. 13. where he demands Were yee baptised into the name of Paul I baptised I thanke God name of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any man should say that I baptised into mine owne name Againe We that be baptised are grafted into another stocke and so draw spirituall grace into our selves but if a man be baptised into any other name he cannot draw spirituall grace and therefore wee are to be baptised into none other name but into Gods Name besides there is an expresse charge and command to baptise in no other name but in the Name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Therefore the Holy Ghost is God Now I spend the more time in this that yee might have your Christian faith grounded for Matth. 13. wee see that the seed that was sowen in the stony ground withered and came to nothing because it wanted a root of judgement so if our knowledge be not rooted and grounded it will come to nothing every temptation will shake it and therefore we must labour to have our knowledge grounded Let us come to make use of it First seeing the holy Ghost is God therefore we must take heed we doe not grieve him with our sins and our corruptions this is the use Saint Paul makes of it Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption It is a great fault to grieve man but it is a greater to grieve God it is said in the Law that the people grieved God and Moses his servant and Esay 7. 10. the question is asked Is it a small thing to grieve man but ye will also grieve my God Now there is never a sinne we commit but wee grieve God every oath wee sweare every lye we tell c. and therefore we must take heed we doe not sin to grieve the holy Spirit and to cause him to depart from us as Heb. 3. 10. God complaines Forty yeeres long was I grieved with this generation c. so it is our sinnes that grieve the holy Ghost If a man hath a guest that commeth to his house to tarry but a night he will be wary lest hee offend him much more wee should be loth to offend the holy Ghost seeing he commeth to dwell with us not a night but for ever consider with thy selfe O man if thou have a friend that will helpe thee in all times of extremitie and releeve thee wilt thou offend him nay thou wouldst labour to please him So the holy Ghost is a friend to us and will speake comfortably and kindly to us at the day of death and in our troubles therefore if we grieve him what comfort can we looke for at the day of death and in the time of trouble Secondly seeing the holy Ghost is God we must take heed that we doe not destroy the temple of the holy Ghost now our bodies be the temples of the holy Ghost therefore we must take heed we doe not destroy the So 1 Cor. 3. 16. saith the Apostle Know ye not that yee are the temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you and if any man destroy this temple God will destroy him which is done first by pulling downe the wals and then by defacing of it which bloudy tyrants doe when they kill good people and deface them If a Noble-man have his house pulled downe over his head he will not take it well at their hands but he will labour to destroy them who did it so if tyrants pull downe Gods Temple he will not take it well at their hands but will destroy them Secondly we may destroy this temple by polluting it for though they let the wals stand yet they may destroy Gods temple by destroying the sanctitie and the holinesse of it by their bad lusts and vile sinnes that they doe commit and then God will destroy them as Iohn 2. you see how angry Christ was that hee made a whip and did scourge them out of the Temple that brought oxen and sheepe and doves to sell there now if Christ were angry with them that defiled the materiall Temple with their oxen sheepe and
doves much more will he be angry with them that pollute his spirituall Temple with their sinnes and corruptions and vile lusts The second thing that we are to beleeve concerning God the holy Ghost is That he is person really subsisting and distinct from the Father and the Sonne And here we are to observe two things First That the holy Ghost is a Person or a reall subsistence and not a quality or motion in God as certaine heretikes hold but hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence by himselfe which we may see by divers acts that he doth as to send the Prophets and Apostles and give spirituall gifts and graces Esay 48. 16. it is said The Lord God and his Spirit hath sent me therefore because the holy Ghost is said to send he is not a quality or a motion but a person So also Acts 13. 2. The holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas for the worke whereunto I have called them So then it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is person and not a qualitie or a motion in God Now two wayes the holy Ghost is taken in the Scripture for the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost as Matth. 12. Christ shewes He that sinnes against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven neither in this world not in the world to come A man may sinne against the Person of the holy Ghost and yet may be forgiven but the sinne that is here spoken of is the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and in other places of the Scripture it is taken for the person of the holy Ghost Secondly the holy Ghost is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. Christ saith to his Disciples Goe teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and so also 1 Iohn 5. 7. he shewes there are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one furthermore Matth. 3. when Christ was baptised there was the voice of the Father saying This is my welbeloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased and the holy Ghost descending on Christ in the likenesse of a Dove so it is plaine by the Scripture that the holy Ghost is a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne Now the use hereof is briefly that as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of the Sonne in our redemption so also we must labour to feele the worke of the holy Ghost in sanctifying of our hearts and quickning of us to all holy duties there were some as wee may reade of in the Acts that did not know there was a Holy Ghost but if we feele our hearts to be sanctified and the power of the holy Ghost to quicken us this is an argument to us against all heretikes to prove there is a holy Ghost The third point that we are to beleeve is that the holy Ghost is holy in himselfe and that he is the causer and effecter of holinesse in others So Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost that is no man is able to doe any thing that is pleasing to God but by the holy Ghost and vers 11. saith he All these things worketh even the selfe-some Spirit distributing to every one severally as he will So the holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the cause of holinesse in all the people of God The uses are first seeing the holy Ghost makes men holy there is never a man that hath one deep or dram of holinesse in himselfe but the holy Ghost must worke it in him as Ezek. 37. we see the dead bones were scattered all the field over till the Spirit of God came into them then there was a noise a clattering and running together of the bones so we be scattered all the field over and lye like dead bones till the Spirit of God come into our heart then there is a noise and a clattering together of the bones then men begin to stirre in the life of holinesse therefore doth any man desire spirituall graces and is often in prayer doth any man find in himselfe holy motions to good let him comfort himselfe for such desires are of and by the Spirit of God it is the holy Ghost that workes them in him for no man hath a dram or a drop of holinesse in himselfe but it is the holy Ghost workes it in him Secondly seeing it is the holy Ghost that makes men holy as often as we feele any good motions or good desires we may know from whence they come that it is the holy Ghost which is the beginner and worker of them If a man lye in a trance and neither moves nor stirres if one layes his eare to the man and heares him breath he may say there is life in the man even so although a man be not able to stirre in the life of holinesse yet if he doe but breath that there be good thoughts and good motions and good desires this is a token that there is the life of grace in him and that the holy Ghost hath begun to worke in him there is the beginning of grace in him SERMON LIV. IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you FOure points yee heard wee are to beleeve concerning the holy Ghost first That the holy Ghost is God secondly That he is a person and not a motion or a qualitie in God but hath a reall subsistence and that hee is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne thirdly That he is not onely holy in himselfe but he is the Effecter and Causer of holinesse in others and that no man hath one dram or drop of holinesse in him but it is wrought by the holy Ghost The fourth point which we are at this present to handle is that He is not onely the causer of holinesse in others but I must beleeve that he will particularly make me holy and give me such a measure of sanctitie as shall be meet and fit for me This is properly the faith of a Christian which herein goeth beyond the faith of all others the devils doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is God and that hee is a Person that hath reall subsistence and that he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne and they doe beleeve that the holy Ghost is the causer of holinesse in all the faithfull people of God but they doe not beleeve that he will worke holinesse in them But here is the faith of a Christian to appropriate the holy Ghost to himselfe so they have not faith onely
Simile 1 The invitation Simile 1 Association with Christ Simile 2 Dissociation from the wicked 2 The commendation Simile First the thing assigned Simile Three properties of the Kingdome of heaven 1 A Kingdome prepared of God Excellencies of heaven before all other Kingdomes 1 For limits 2 For time 3 In regard of defects 4 In regard of tranquillitie Quest. Sol. Vse 1. Our estate better than Adams in sixe things 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. 2 A kingdome prepared for his Elect. Simile Simile 3 It was prepared of old Secondly the title and tenour Simile SERM. L. Simile 4 The reason of the Assignation Object Sol. Workes not the couse of our obtaining heaven Simile Foure Reasons against the merit of workes Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. Object Sol. Reason 3. Reason 4. Object Sol. 1 The judgement shall be according to workes Quest Sol. 2 1 Properties of Faith 2 Quest Sol. Simile 2 All good workes shall be remembred and rewarded Simile Object Sol. Simile 3 The iudgement shall passe according to workes of mercie Quest 1 Sol. Why the Iudgement passes chiefly by works of mercie 1 2 Gods mercie so great that hee had rather abate of his owne service than man want his comfort Simile Simile Simile Object Sol. Simile Simile 4 The Iudgement shall passe according to works of mercie to Christians Simile Simile 1 2 Simile SERM. LI. Simile 1 An Abdication or Eiection They shall be shut out of Heaven Simile Quest. Sol. A two-fold presence of God Simile How far wicked men desire the presence of God Simile 2 They shal be shut out of the earth Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 2 Punishment or malediction Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. 3 The estate the wicked shall fall into Foure reasons shewing hell fire not to be naturall fire 1 Damas. lib. 4. cap. ult Reason 2. Reason 3. SER. LII Reason 4. Two reasons of the extremity of Hell fire Reason 1. Simile Simile Simile Reason 2. Simile For ever Simile Simile Simile Simile Quest Sol. How it stand with the justice of God to punish sin eternally Vse 1. 2 Vse 1. Simile Simile 2 A sinner compared to Pharaohs Kine Simile Simile 4 They are ranked with the Divell and his Angels Simile Simile Simile Simile Reasons of the wickeds condemnation First sinnes of Omission as well as Commission damnes Secondly small sinnes damne as well as great ones Thirdly small sinnes are great before God Simile Quest. Why neglect of the Poore is so great a sinne Sol. First what Christ shall doe after the last judgement Simile Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile Quest. Sol. SERM. LIII Simile Secondly the end why he shall render up the kingdome How Christ shall be all in all at the day of judgement 1 2 Simile 〈◊〉 VIII Two reasons whereby to rule our â—aith Reason 1. The devâ—ll the Author of â—ivision Reason 2. 1 That the Holy Ghost is God Proved first by Scriptures Foure Reasons to prove the Holy Ghost to be God Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. 1 2 3 Reason 3. Reason 4. Vse 1. Simile All sinne is a griefe to God Simile Simile Vse 2. How man destroyes the Temple of God 1 2 Simile 1 The Holy Ghost is not a quality or motion in God Sinne against the Holy Ghost 2 He is a distinct Person from the Father and the Sonne Vse 3 That the Holy Ghost is not onely holy in himselfe but causer of it in others Vse 1. Simile SER. LIV. Vse 2. Simile Fourthly the Holy Ghost will make me holy 1 Iohn 5. 7. Quest. How the Holy Ghost workes holinesse in us Sol. 1 By convincing us of our impuritie Simile Simile 2 By inlightning us Simile Simile 3 By uniting us to Christ Simile 4 By mortifying our sinnes Simile 5 By renewing us Simile 6 By stirring up holy motions in us Simile Quest. Sol. The Holy Ghost is really and actually in us Simile 1 How to come by the Holy Ghost 1 A removall of the false meanes Simile 3 Meanes to come by the Holy Ghost 1 Simile Simile 2 Meanes Simile 3 Meanes 1 Conclusion 1 Cor. 12. 8. Vse 1. 1 Cor. 12. Simile Vse 2. No fulnesse of Spirit in this life Simile Simile Simile The second conclusion ART VIII Simile Quest The least measure of saving grace what Ans. 1. It stands more in desires than actions 2 Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile The third conclusion Simile Simile Object Of such who complaine for want of seeling Ans. 2. The third conclusion Simile Object Of fulnesse of spirit that some had Ans. 1. A fulnesse comparative Secondly there is a fulnesse in working different Thirdly a fulnesse may be in regard to some particular act SER. LV The first Consequent Simile Matth. 27. 34. The second consequent Simile 3 How to know that wee have the Holy Ghost The Papists opinion is contrary First to the Scripture Secondly to Reason Simile Thirdly to their owne Divines Simile 5 False marks of the Holy Ghosts being in us 1 Many good parts of nature prooves it not Simile 2 False marke restraining grace Two defects in restraining grace 1 It doth not kill sinne Simile Simile 2 It doth not refraine from all sinnes 3 False marke some kinde of inlightning Colos 3. 10. Quest. Ans Two defects in knowledge 1 Such knowledge is not of a right kinde Speculative knowledge Practicall knowledge 2 Such make no right use of their knowledge 4 False marke an unsound sorrow and repentance Quest. Ans The defects in repentance 1 Sorrow more for the judgment than the sinne 2 Sorrow not for all sinnes 3 Sorrow not for inward corruption S. Augustines wish 1 2 5 False marke an unsound desire of heaven and glorie The defect of unsound desire of heaven First in a fleeting unconstant desire Secondly such desires are idle and lazie ones Thirdly such desires are not earnest ones 2 The true mark 1 Generally two wayes 1 He makes a great change Simile Simile Simile Simile Secondly hee stirs and moves to holinesse Simile Simile Simile 2 Particularly divers degrees of the Spirit Simile Two things a weake beginner must looke to 1 A right worke of the Spirit in foure things First that there be humbling Simile Secondly desire of reconciliation Simile Thirdly it stirs up to lay hold on the Promises Fourthly a setled walking with God 2 There must be a right orâ—er of the worke Simile Strength of action increases according to the strength of the spirit Simile The worke of the spirit mortifying in three things 1 Simile Simile 3 4 Workes of quickning in a strong Christian 1 2 Simile 3 4 Simile SER. LVI How a strong weakned Christian may know the Holy Ghost is in him Simile Quest 1 Sol. The roote is not gone Simile 4 By desires of grace left 1 To grieve that we cannot griev for sinne 2 Desire of reconciliation 3 A desire to beleeve 4 A desire to pleas God in all things Object Sol. 3 By some
faith will not faile us when wee come to die Now that wee may live in faith two things are to bee required 1. All that we doe we must doe in Faith 2. All that wee suffer wee must suffer in Faith we must still looke to the promises when we doe any thing or suffer any thing Now that we must doe all that wee doe in Faith we have these two Scriptures The first is Rom. 14. 23. For hee that eateth is condemned if hee eate because hee eateth not of Faith and whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne so then if we doe any thing and hath not a warrant for it we cannot doe it of Faith and if it be not of Faith it is sinne So wee read Heb. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please God so then if we have not Faith we cannot please God and therefore all that we do wee must do in Faith It is the opinion of the world that some of our actions we should doe in Faith but not all but a man must do all his actions in faith because he is not at his owne disposing but at the Lords and therefore we are to bee ruled and governed by him and not to doe as we thinke good The Lawyers have a saying For our masters and not for our selves all must be at the masters disposing and not of the servants even so we are the servants and He is the Lord and therefore wee must bee at his disposing and not at our own and therfore Heb. 11. All the holy men are commended because all that they did was in faith so it is said of Noah that by faith being warned of God he went and made the Arke and so for this Rahab and Iacob and all the holy men there are recorded All which examples are to teach us that that which we doe we should doe in faith How must wee doe all in faith I answere in the faith of these three things First in the Faith of reconciliation that we are perswaded that God is our Father by the meanes of Christ and whereas hee was our enemy that now hee is our friend and loveth us as notwithstanding all our labours and paines we shall be blessed one day so we see it is said Iob. 14. 14. If a man die shall hee live againe all the dates of my appointed time will I waite untill my change shall be and Psalm 27. 10. saith David Though my father and my mother forsake mee yet the Lord will gather mee up So 1 Iohn 3. 2. Dearely beloved now are wee the sonnes of God but it doth not appeare what wee shall bee there was two kinds of labour which the children of Israel indured the labors of Egypt and the labours of the desart the labours of Egypt was penall labour which tended to no profit but the labour of the desart was fruitfull labour it tended to Canaan and even so all the labours of the wicked are like the labours of Egypt a penall labour no fruite or benefit comes by it but the labours of the godly are like the labours of the desart which tends to heaven The true Christian sustaineth himselfe with this comfort although he labour and take paines and endure much trouble yet that one day he shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven a number of people labour and take great paines and have but little comfort by it because it is not done in faith of our reconciliation to be perswaded that God is our friend and father by meanes of Iesus Christ and loveth us and therefore if we would have comfort in our labours and paines we must doe them in the faith of our reconcilement Secondly that we doe wee must do out of a ground of Faith which is the word of God where there is no word we must not do it we must have a ground for all our actions out of the word of God a warrant a command from God as Psal 119. 4 When David did understand that God had commanded to keepe his commandements diligently Oh saith hee that my heart were directed to keepe thy statutes Deuter. chapter 12. verse 32. saith Moses That whatsoever I command you take heede yee doe it thou shalt put nothing there-to nor take ought there-from And so likewise the prophet Esay sayes To the Law and to the Testimony there is the Rule of a Christian to directall his actions by when a ship goes to sea the Marriner sets his Carde and his Compasse how to direct him when he hath done so howsoever the skies may lowre and the windes blow hee is not affraid hee hath his rule and directions to sayle by even so a Christian must doe when hee doth any thing he must set his Compasse he must have a ground from Gods word for the doing of it and when hee hath done so howsoever the skies lowre and the winde blowe howsoever things seeme to make against him yet hee is safe because hee hath a Rule and a direction to walke by for howsoever a man may doe good things that are good in themselves as the labours of our callings and releeving of the poore cloathing of the naked feeding of the hungrie and such like if hee doe it not of Faith if he have not a ground and command from God the Lord doth not accept it we must doe it as a part of our duty commanded from God and then two Comforts doe ensue The first is that God doth like and allow and is well pleased with it because we have his word and warrant for the doing of it a Christian this is his comfort when hee doth any thing that he knoweth that God is well pleased with it when he hath a warrant and command from Gods word then he is sure that he shall please God then he may say as the Angell said in Ezek. the 9. that had the writers Inkhorne by his side I have done as thou hast commanded me The second is that seeing we doe that which God hath commanded us that God will sustaine and assist us in the same by his power as wee read Matth. 28. 19. our Saviour Christ sendeth his disciples to teach all nations baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever hee had commanded and loe saith hee I am with you unto the end of the world so in Exod. 3. 12. saith the Lord to Moses I will be with thee I will be with thy mouth to assist thee and to direct thee and so likewise in Esai 41. 10. Saith God Feare not for I am with thee be not afraid for I am thy God I wil strengthen thee and helpe thee and will sustaine thee with the right hand of my Righteousnesse and therefore it is a comfort to a Christian that if he hath a command or warrant from God for the doing of his actions that hee shall have the power of God to assist
man for sinne there must bee a second Person for a Mediator betweene God and man to reconcile them and to make them one againe which must bee the Sonne and there must bee a third to apply this to the heart of man that is the holy Ghost therefore it is not possible that the redemption of man should bee wrought without the distinction of Persons The Turkes demand of the Christians what good they have to beleeve in God distinct in three persons more than they have in God without distinction of Persons If they should demand of me I would make them this answer thus That wee could not have our redemption but by the distinction of persons for when men were out of favour with God they must have a thing of infinite value and of greater price than all the soules and bodies of men are worth to satisfie for them and to apply it and therefore this benefit wee have by beleeving the distinction of persons more than the Turkes have Secondly that there is a divine Person called the Father there bee three divine Persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost now they are not divided as three men to say here is one here is another and there is another but they are distinguished as three candles being light in a roome wee cannot say here is the light of one candle and here is the light of another their light cannot bee divided one from another and yet there be three distinct lights even so there bee three distinct Persons the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and yet we may not divide them and say here is the Father or here is the Son or here is the holy Ghost apart one from the other for as of water wine and Rosa-solis being put into one glasse three distinct things wee cannot say this is the water and this is the wine and this is the Rosa-solis but where one is there is the other so there bee three divine Persons but wee cannot say here is one and there is another but where one is there is all and therefore let us goe no further than our corke will beare us up if our corke will not beare us up let us make a stand let us goe no further than we have warrant out of the word of God In that he is called a Father it is because hee is a fountaine to the rest Ioh. 3. 35. The Father loveth the Sonne and hath given all things into his hands and Ioh. 5. 30. I seeke not mine owne will but the will of my Father that sent me and Ioh. 28. Yee know me and whence I come yet I am not come of my selfe but hee that sent me is true whom yee know not But I know him for I am of him and hee hath sent me and in the Heb. 1. 3. he sayes Who being the brightnesse of his glory and the engraven forme of his person So then we see that God the Father is a divine person distinct from the Sonne and the holy Ghost hee is called a Father because hee is a fountaine to all the rest and that he is so it ariseth of the infinite goodnes that is in God There is a question amongst Divines how he communicats his goodnesse to the rest of the Persons The answer is that the more goodnesse there is in God the more he communicates his goodnesse Now there is no creature capable to receive the goodnesse that is in God for the creatures have goodnesse indeed but it is but as a drop in respect of the goodnesse that hee doth infuse to the divine persons and therefore he doth infuse his goodnesse to the rest of the divine persons even as a fountaine of water when it is full it sends and gives it out againe so the Father gives out his goodnesse to the rest of the divine Persons This is a deepe point to dive into and therefore a man must doe in divinity as a man doth going into a river as long as hee feeles the ground with his feet so farre hee may wade safely but if hee feele no ground it is good to make a stay and goe no further in like manner so long as wee may wade in Divinity and feele the ground with our feet wee may safely goe on so farre as there is a warrant out of the word but if this be wanting it is good to make a stand and venture no farther The use is that seeing God containes not himselfe but communicates his goodnesse let us labour to have communion with him and then he wil communicate his goodnes as to the three Persons so to us in proportion As Psal 145. 3. Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praysed and his greatnes is incomprehensible the Lord is great in goodnes and gives and powreth it out to others therefore David saith Psal 37. It is a good thing for me to cleave unto God If a great man in a Kingdome should give out his goodnesse and be beneficiall all men would seeke for his service but if he were a niggard no man would seeke to him so seeing God gives out his goodnesse all men should seeke to have communion with him The third point is that he is the Father of Christ so it is said Rom. 15. 6. That yee with one mind and with one mouth may praise God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. The point is plaine I shall not need to prove it any more we will make use of it The first is that seeing he is the Father of Christ whatsoever Christ hath done in the great matters of our redemption God will approve and accept of as Ioh. 3. 35. The Father loveth the Sonne and hath given all things into his hands and therefore seeing it is his Sonne who hath reconciled us hee will approve and accept of it seeing hee hath payed the price for us wee shall bee acquitted and discharged before God and so goe free Secondly that none can be fitter to be the Mediator than Christ Ioh. 11. 42. Iesus saith I thanke thee Oh Father because thou hast heard me I know thou hearest me alwayes but because of the people that stand by I said it that they may beleeve that thou hast sent mee And therefore because hee is the Sonne of God hee is the more fitter to be the Mediator Matth. 21. 37. It is said therefore it may be they will reverence my Son In the law we see whensoever the high Priest was to appeare before God he was to have the names of the twelve Tribes in his brest-plate and on his shoulders engraven in stones for a continuall remembrance before the Lord so Christ is our high Priest and he carrieth all the names of the elect and presents them before God for a continuall remembrance SERMON V. COLOS. 1. 12 13. Giving
in God the Father and in Iesus Christ their Redeemer but also in the holy Ghost and are perswaded he will worke grace in them and give them such a measure of holinesse as shall be meet for them here is properly the faith of a Christian which goeth beyond the faith of the wicked for they beleeve they have their sinnes but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken them or subdue and abolish their corruptions when as the people of God have their sinnes also and their great sinnes too but yet they beleeve that the holy Ghost will weaken subdue and abolish their strong corruptions for what is it to beleeve that there is a holy Ghost and be never a whit the better the people of God doe beleeve though they have their sinnes yet they shall have grace from God to subdue them for this is the promise of God to them Ezek. 36. 25. Then will I powre cleane water upon you and ye shall be cleane yea from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you So Ephes 9. 26. the reason is given The hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word here is Gods promise that he will cleanse and wash his people from their sinnes and where there is a promise of God there is the faith of a Christian to apprehend it so then it is the faith of a Christian to beleeve God will wash away our sinnes and cleanse us from them but the divinity of the world is quite contrary for they beleeve God made them and the mercy of the Sonne in their redemption but they doe not beleeve that the holy Ghost will worke holinesse in them it is said There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are One and therefore as we have the witnesse of the Father and of the Sonne so we must have the witnesse of the holy Ghost therefore as we feele the power of God the Father in our creation and the mercy of God the Sonne in our redemption so also wee must labour to feele the grace and power of the holy Ghost in sanctifying and quickning of us to all duties for herein the faith of a Christian goeth beyond both devils and wicked men Now here is a very profitable point of enquiry to be made How doth the holy Ghost worke holinesse in us as Mary said Luke 1. 34. to the Angell when he told her that she should conceive and beare a Sonne How shall this be seeing I know 〈◊〉 â—an Shee doubted not of the matter but of the manner so a Christian doubts not of the matter but of the manner of this sanctifying therefore wee may with holy reverence say to God How shall this be seeing I am a sinfull man For answere hereunto the Scripture declares by six meanes the operation of the Holy Ghost in us The first is by reprooving us of our want of holinesse shewing us the impuritie of our nature and that we have not a drop of holinesse in our selves It checkes us for our sinnes and reprooves us for them untill wee feele this wee can have no comfort that the Holy Ghost hath wrought holinesse in us as Iohn 16. 8. Christ shewes when the Spirit of God is come into the world hee shall reproove the world of sinne so if the Holy Ghost bee come once into a mans hart hee will shew him the impuritie thereof check and controule him for his sinnes we see if a man come into a house in the darke nothing shewes amisse but if the light shine in then wee may see all the sluttish corners of it so as long as a man is in darknesse all seemes well with him but if once the light shine in then all the slutrish corners of his heart will bee discovered This is the first work that the Holy Ghost workes in us to reproove us of our sinnes and our want of holinesse as if a man bee sick of a dead palsie the way to recover him is by hot oyles and bathes when if once a man come to feele the stiffenesse of his joynts there is hope that he will recover so it is in the worke of grace if a man see his own weaknes and wants how uncheerefull hee is in prayer and in Christ and duities that hee cannot repent though hee desires to repent that hee cannot beleeve as hee doth desire to beleeve there is comfortable hope hee shall recover and that there is a seed of grace in him But if the Spirit of God doth not reproove a man of his sinnes so as to see the impuritie of his nature and want of holinesse hee may feare that there is not the beginnings of grace Secondly by inlightning of us for naturally we are all blinde and ignorant of the wayes of God therefore when the Holy Ghost commeth into us hee makes us see what is pleasing to God and what is displeasing what is right and what is wrong as 2 Cor. 4. wee may see that the Iewes had a veyle hung over their hearts in the reading of the Law that they could not understand and see heaven and happinesse Now the holy Ghost takes away this veyle openeth our understandings and makes us to see know the good way that wee are to walke in So then the Holy Ghost doth inlighten us as 1 Iohn 2. 27. saith hee but the annointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things c. We see Genes 1. when God made the world one of the first things hee made was light so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a mans hart one of the first things that he doth is he inlightneth him it is observed when a good Tenant commeth into a house hee will make windowes into the same if need bee that hee may have good light to see how to doe his businesse by such a Tenant the holy Ghost is that when hee is come into a mans hart hee will make windowes and let in light that so the man may not doe things in darknesse but by the light of Gods words giving them heavenly knowledge Thirdly by uniting us to Christ because Christ is the fountaine of all holinesse as Paul saith Colos 1. 19. for it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Christ is the store house and the treasury-house of all riches to his Church and the Holy Ghost will never leave a Christian till hee hath brought him to the fountaine of grace if a man dig a trench hee will never leave till hee gets to the fountaine that it may flow into it and fill it with water so the Holy Ghost will worke us till he bring us to Christ which is the fountaine and then hee will convey into us spirituall
know he hath the Spirit The first worke is That hee would not grieve God for a world hee hates sinne he cannot abide it hee would not sweare nor lie nor prophane the Sabboth nor commit any sinne willingly in this case he may assure himselfe he hath the Spirit of God in him Secondly that although hee falls into some sinne yet hee holds his care and love to all other holy duties as David did in that foule sinne of adultery when he had fallen into it yet hee came to the Temple did hold himselfe to performe holy duties still Thirdly to hold our love to God and to Gods people when he loves a Christian as a Christian saith S. Iohn hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because wee love the brethren First the Vse of this is that seeing in the falls of the Godly there is alwayes a roote left therefore wee should labour to nourish and to hold this roote that is to nourish these good desires the love of goodnesse and the hatred of sinne If a man hath a good plant in his Garden if bad fellowes come and cut downe the boughes and branches what will he doe he will goe and digge about the roote dung it and labor to preserve and nourish it so when there is a plant of goodnesse in a Christian if the Divell come and cut downe the boughes and branches neverthelesse we must labour to nourish the roote by the Use of good meanes Secondly seeing there is a roote left in all the falls of the godly therefore wee must bee thankefull to God when wee have a desire to please him in all our courses Thirdly seeing there is a roote of grace left in all the falls of the godly Therefore if we cannot finde these workings of the Spirit nor the desires in us but perceive our selves to be dead hearted it is a shrewd signe that there is no roote of grace yet I say not but that God may in time and in the use of meanes worke grace in such a heart but for the present I can give such a disposition no incouragement of that estate till God worke more in them SERMON LVII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you HAving spoken of the meanes whereby a man may know by infallible arguments that the holy Ghost is in him in the next place we are to speake what good and benefit wee have by the Holy Ghost for when we know the great good that comes by the Holy Ghost it will make us to prise it when wee have it and to seeke for it when we want it Therefore it shall not be amisse to see what this great good and benefit is that we have by the holy Ghost The Prophet David Psal 51. 11. prayes Lord take not thy Holy Spirit from me though thou take away my peace my Children my crowne and kingdome and other blessings yet Lord take not thy Spirit from me David knew the Spirit of God was a greater blessing than Peace Children Crowne Kingdome than all other blessings and benefits whatsoever It is true indeede that the benefits of the Holy Ghost are unspeakeable that no man can see them in the full latitude and extention because God is infinite yet wee may see some of them A man who comes to the Sea stands and lookes on it hee joyes to see it though hee cannot see the length nor the breadth of it so although a man cannot comprife the number of them yet it is a comfort to see some of them Now there are sixe speciall benefits that we have by the Holy Ghost The first worke is to shew us our wretched and miserable estate that wee stand in till we be brought home to Christ for no sooner are wee beginning to enter into an estate of grace but presently there is kept a marvellous stirre which troubles and disquiets us as long as the strong man holds possession Luk. 1. 21. Because the Spirit of God once come into us shewes us our sinnes and the wrath of God against them and that Hell is ready for us and then our thoughts cannot chuse but bee exceedingly troubled and we are so amazed as wee know not how to turne us Thus we see Paul was Act. 9. three dayes together he eate no meate but prayed in heavinesse and sorrow as Ezechiel 37. before life came into the dead bones there was a noyse a ratling shaking and trembling amongst them so before the Lord puts spirituall life into us there is as it were a noyse and a trembling and a shaking for sinne This is the worst wee shall feele from the Holy Ghost which is harsh to the flesh but comfortable to the Spirit because it is as an holy vomit that the Lord gives us to purge out our sins and corruptions which though bitter in taste at first is comfortable and giving ease at the latter end So Matth. 5. Christ saith Blessed are ye that mourne for ye shall be comforted and Psal 126. They which sow in teares shall reape in joy So that there is no teares more blessed and happy than those that are shed out for sinne Therefore in the harshest worke of the Spirit there is comfort as Matth. 1. Ioseph was sore perplexed about Mary and he thought to put her away secretly till the Angell came to him and said Feare not Ioseph to take Mary to be thy Wife for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost So when a christian is perplexed and troubled with his sinnes let him not be afraid for it is from the Holy Ghost So Gen. 25. 21. when Rebecca had conceived the Children dashed in her wombe that is they strove together Why am I thus saith shee and thereupon asked the Lord who said unto her Two Nations are in thy Wombe of whom the one shall be mightier than the other and the elder shall serve the yonger So when a Christian shall feele a striving in him let him be of good comfort there are two within him the spirit and the flesh the elder shall serve the younger the flesh shall bee but a slave to the spirit So then in the harshest worke of the spirit there is comfort and if there bee comfort in the troublesomest worke what comfort is there in the rest of the benefits The second benefit is Illumination to teach us the whole will of God as shall bee needfull for our salvation and so Christ saith in this place But the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I have told you and Iohn 6. 45. saith he they shall all be taught of God so also 1 Ioh. 2.
the Apostle saith All things shall worke to the good of them that love God There be many things that seeme to goe against Christians all which yet the Lord turnes to their good the Philistians could not resolve Sampsons riddle but every Christian can as honey came out of the dead body of the Lion so a Christian drawes sweetnesse from the dead body of Christ even in trouble and affliction by perswading of us that God will turne all to our good Thirdly the holy Ghost doth comfort us by perswading of us that God will set an end to all our troubles as it is said Psal 102. That God will arise and have mercy on Sion for the time to have mercy thereon is come even the appointed time is come so also Psal 62. 2. saith he yet hee is my strength and my salvation and my defenceâ— therefore I shall not much be moved Now three wayes the Holy Ghost giveth us comfort in affliction First by perswading us that God will take it away Secondly that if he doth not take it away he will mitigate and asswage it as Psal 18. David saith by my God I have leaped over a wall although God did not take away the wall or though hee doth not make the wall lower yet by the helpe of God I can leape over the wall Thirdly that though he doth not mitigate or asswage it that yet he will give us patience to beare and undergoe it as it is in the Psalme I cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard me and hath renewed my strength therefore we may say with Saint Paul Thankes bee to God who hath comforted us in all our tribulations The second time is In the distresse of Conscience of all distresse there is none like it as Salomon saith Proverb 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can beare Now it is the Holy Ghost that doth comfort a man in this distresse First By perswading us that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. Saint Paul saith The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the Children of GOD whereupon Chrysostome saith if GOD should send an Angell or an Archangell and should tell thee that thou art beloved of GOD and that thou art his Childe would not this comfort thee in this distresse of conscience but God hath not sent an Angell or an Archangell onely to perswade thee that thou art the childe of God but hee hath sent his Spirit into thy heart to beare witnesse unto thy spirit that thou art the Childe of God Secondly by perswading us that there is a seede of grace in our hearts as 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not because his seed remaineth in him and Iohn 8. Christ saith He that beleeveth in mee out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water therefore seeing there is a seede of grace remaining in all the faithfull though they goe astray and wander yet they doe as the sheepe cry unto the shepheard and are not at rest till they be brought home to God So we see David did in the Psal 119. saith he I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke thy servant for I have not forgot thy Commandements The third speciall time is at the day of death when all comforts faile us then the holy Ghost comforts us by perswading us that God is our Father and that we are going home to him and are at peace with him Thus Iohn 17. 11. Christ saith I come to thee holy Father keepe them in thy Name even these which thou hast given me And 2 Pet. 3. 12. saith he Looking for and hasting unto the comming of the day of God So it should be comfort to a Christian that by death he is going home to God and that he cannot bee at rest till he come there Secondly The Holy Ghost doth comfort us by perswading that Heaven is opened for us and that the Angels are ready to receive us and that the ending of this life is the beginning of a better We read Gen. 26. 6. when Iaakob was going to Padan Aram he laid him downe to sleepe upon a stone where he saw a vision a ladder reared up that reacht to Heaven the Angels ascending and descending thereupon and Christ ready to receive them at the head of the ladder So Acts 7. Stephan at the time of death saw Heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to receive him such comfortable visions shall the people of God have at the time of death at least such comforts as shall be fit to comfort them in this Thirdly By perswading us that although our bodies rot and consume yet one day they shall rise againe to glory and happinesse so Iob saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the last on the Earth and though after my skin worms destroy my body yet shall I see God with my eyes and Iohn 11. 23. Iesus saith to Mortha thy brother shall rise againe to whom Martha replies I know he shall rise in the resurrection at the last day Therefore howsoever our bodies rot and consume in the Grave yet one day they shall rise to glory and happinesse It is a good meditation of a learned man at the time of death and of thy departure thinke of all the good doctrines that have beene taught thee of good Preachers to comfort thy selfe with them remember that Iesus Christ is the Lambe of God that was crucified and killed for thy sinnes and is ready to receive thee who tooke order in his last Will and Testament for thee as Iohn 17. Father saith he I will that where I am there they be also and to the theefe on the Crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise So rest thy selfe in this hope and goe thy way to thy Christ goe home to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and to all the holy men departed and such as are behinde shall follow after where we shall all meete together to behold God in glory and sing praises to him world without end So this comfort that we have by the Holy Ghost will stand by us when all comfort will faile The sixth benefit we have by the Holy Ghost is abilitie and power to performe any speciall calling for there is no man that can performe any speciall calling till the holy Ghost hath enabled him as 1 Sam. 10. it is said The Spirit of God came upon Saul and made him fit for governement and Acts 2. the Spirit of God came downe upon the Apostles and made them fit to preach to all Nations so Exod. 38. 2. it is said of Bezaleel that He was filled with the Spirit of God in wisedome understanding knowledge and in all workemanship to finde out curious workes in gold silver and in brasse So there is no
these be two things whereon the faith of a Christian turnes concerning our faith in God wee beleeve that there is one God in substance and yet three distinct persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost The Father who created us by his Power the Son who redeemed us by his blood and the holy Ghost who is the inlightner and sanctifier of all the faithfull therefore after our faith in God Christian faith informs us to beleeve there is a Church of God because it is a rich store-house of all his grace and goodnesse and his true Temple as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 9. 10. Know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you c Augustine saith well the right order of beleeving is first to beleeve in the blessed Trinitie and then in the true Church first to the Maker and then to the House first to the Builder and then to the Citie So our faith must be first in God and then by and by turne to the Church of God Now herein are two things to be observed 1. Vnder what forme we must beleeve 2. What it is we must beleeve First under what forme wee must beleeve The Papists say wee must beleeve in the Church and the Romish Testament is for it upon 1 Tim. 3. and Bellarmine is not farre behinde he saith after a sort and after a certaine kinde we are to beleeve in the Church sundry Divines are contrary to this and they say that a Christian is to beleeve in none but God not in Angell nor Archangell nor in any creature but in God as Iohn 14. Christ saith Yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me marke the ground why we must beleeve in Christ because he is God so 1 Pet. 1. 21. saith the Apostle Which by his meanes doe beleeve in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and hope might be in him not in the Church in Angell or Archangell but in God onely And an ancient father saith we beleeve there is an holy Church but wee doe not beleeve in the Holy Church wee must beleeve in none but God and the reason is because the Church is not God but the house of God Eusebius saith wee must beleeve Paul and Peter but wee must not beleeve in Paul nor in Peter the reason is because it is a transferring of the honour that is due to God to the creature and Chrysostome saith it is one thing to beleeve a Party and it is another thing to beleeve in a partie but it is proper to the divinity to bee beleeved in Hence wee see the light is so cleere in this point as no man neede doubt of it and Thomas Aquinas one of their owne Doctors saith it is better for a man to beleeve there is a Church than for a man to beleeve in the Church wherein hee grounded himselfe on Pope Leo in whose power the Church was to rest themselves Since that time they have refused this and say that a man must beleeve in the Church affirming that there bee three ancient fathers Saint Ierome Epiphanius and Cyrill that takes it in the same sense as they doe As for one of these which is Saint Ierome there was a chiefe bishop of Rome that brings his argument for us and inferres that this particle in is to bee remooved because in his best workes we doe not so read it Now for the two other their credit is the lesse because Arrius was the first that brought it into his Creed and Cyrill followes him as for Epiphanius though at first he might be carried with the streame of the times yet afterwards hee was overswayed by a number of ancient fathers at Alexandria who expound and take it as we doe Therefore it is out of question and without controulment that wee are not to beleeve in the Church but the right forme of beleeving is to beleeve that God hath a Church a holy people a holy company that he will blesse and save eternally Secondly what it is we must beleeve there are three speciall things we must beleeve 1. We beleeve that God hath a Church 2. We beleeve it is a holy Church 3. Wee beleeve it is an universall or Catholicke that it was from the beginning it hath beene in all ages and it is all the World over First that God hath a Church People and Family here in this world his number of saved ones as I may say though we cannot see nor designe them out Paul tells us Heb. 11. 1. that Faith is the evidence of things that are not seene therefore though we doe not alwayes see the Church of God yet by Faith we must beleeve that God hath his people family and his number of saved ones for the same Saint Paul shewes us in the generall apostacie of the Iewes Rom. 11. That there is a seede and a little remnant left this he resolves us of from an Oracle of God that there were seven thousand left thou had not bowed their knees to Baal which were hid and secret therefore though wee cannot see or designe them out yee wee must beleeve that God hath his Church and company of holy people and his number of saved ones The Vs es are first to answere to a demand that the papists make Where was your Churches before Luthers time I answer I beleeve the Church of God hath beene in all ages and from the beginning and shall continue to the end of the World therefore although wee cannot see nor designe it out yet we beleeve there is a Church of God as Gen. 1. the Lord made two great lights the one to rule the day and the other to rule the night Now although wee cannot alwayes see these lights because there is some clouds that doe cover them or some thicke mist yet faith doth assure us that those lights be still so it is with the Church of God though it be not patent and visible at all times yet Faith doth assure us that there is a Church of God still Secondly seeing that God hath his Church in all ages and his number of saved people Therefore every man must labour to bee one of that number for though God hath his Church and number of saved ones if we doe not appertaine to this Church and be of this number what are wee the better We see when Noah made his Arke all that did not get into it did perish in the waters so though God hath his Church and number of saved ones yet if wee doe not labour to bee of his Church and people we must perish Now for the better clearing of this point wee will shew 1. What the Nature of the Church of God is 2. What be the divers parts of it 3. The diverse estates of the Church of God here in this world 4. What be the true markes and notes of the true Church 5.
ought to keepe God our friend in this life if we expect to have him so at oâ—r death 256. †¶ Fulnesse of time 113. ¶ Christ came not till the fulnesse of time 114. ¶ G CHrist apprehended in a Garden because 1. Sinne began in a Garden 2. Christ prayed in the Garden 3. It was a place knowne to Iudas 177. c. The calling of the Gentiles in the wise mens comming to Christ 129. †That the Holy Ghost is God proved by Reason Scripture 479. The holy Ghost a Person really subsisting 481. distinct from father and Sonne 482. The holy Ghost really and actually in us 487. The holy Ghost Teacheth Governeth Comforteth us 509. c. The graces of the holy Ghost inestimably good 487. †The benefits wee receive by the holy Ghost 508. How the holy Ghost may be lost 515. †The meanes to come by the holy Ghost 488. The true markes to know whether the holy Ghost be in us or no. 489. Discovery of the false markes of the holy Ghosts being in us 494. The Defect Excesse of giving 593. Christ gave gifts personal to the Ministers royall to euery man 367. The life of Glory 650. The Saints Glory by Christs pronouncing them blessed at the end of the world 447. * Differences of Christs and Moses Glory 419. Foure properties of Goates 436. That there is a God proved by The workes of God The place where God is The nature of the creatures Our conscience Our experience 42. c. That there is but one God 46. How God is said to be Almighty 59. Things that imply Incapability Weaknesse Contradiction God caÌ„not doe 60. Vses of Instruction Comfort from Gods being Almighty 61. God is a true God inregard of his Nature Properties 48. We must beleeve God is our God in particular 49. God the Father of Christ 52. Vnion with Christ makes God our Father 53. Comforts that arise from Gods being our Father 56. Some men make their bellies their gods 46. ¶ A distinction of the Persons in the Godhead 50. †The Father the fountaine of the Godhead 51. ¶ Golgotha why so called 216. Many hindrances when wee goe about any thing that is good 340. †How God the Father communicates his goodnesse to the Sonne and holy Ghost 52. * The Church the Goshen of God therein light onely all the world besides being darke 565. ¶ The Gospell like a Vine in his growth 122. * The Gospell compared to a great glasse 219. †Christ more glorious in the preaching of the Gospell than in his bodily presence on Earth 130. * The wicked disobedient to Christs government 87. ¶ Christ governes his Church by 1. Drawing them to himselfe 375. 2. Guiding them the right way 377. 3. Exercising them with trials for their good 378. 4. Defending them from their enemies 380. Foure grounds that the true graces of Gods Spirit are never finally lost 518. In all Gods People a roote of Grace remains to be discerned three waies 505. * Common graces of the Spirit may bee lost 517. †Five meanes how to nourish the graces of the Spirit 520. No power in man to doe any thing unlesse God give him grace 445. Two things a weake beginner in grace must looke to 501. Grace at first small increases like seedâ— sowne 490. * Degrees of grace 490. †Growth of grace imperceptible 491. ¶ If grace be in the heart it will shew it selfe 190. * When wee rise in grace wee must leave the sinnes of nature behinde us 298. * The Papists opinion of the incertainty of grace confuted 494. Two defects in restraining grace 495. The graces of the Spirit compared to Oyle 81. Desire of grace fourefold 505. ¶ Comforts in the lying in our graves 633. Christs grave why new 279. Every man though hee have no house hath a grave to be buried in 278. * Christ at first made knowne to the poorer sort not great men 120. ¶ All sinne is a griefe to God 481. * The sinnes of Gods People doe more grieve Christ than of the prophaner sort 18. †The Spirit grieved by sinne against knowledge and disobedience 520. H THe right hand of God signifies 1. His Power 2. The glory of Heaven 3. Propinquitie of place to God in dignity 371. By Christs sitting at Gods right hand is implied His enobling our nature His governement of the Church 372. Christ sits at Gods right hand 1. To shew the worke of mans redemption is finished 2. All judiciary power is committed to him 3. He is in continuall act of judgement 374. Never can a man make too much haste to come to Christ 126. ¶ A good hearer like dry powder 528. ¶ How to know whether Christ bee conceived in the heart 105. ¶ The great stirre that is at the conception of Christ in the heart of a Christian 108. †The heart hardned in sinne nothing will do good upon 185. ¶ Pilate an Heathen goes beyond most Christians in fearing to sinne against God 209. * God the maker of Heaven and Earth 64 65. Of the reâ—â—ing of the Heavens and the Earth 412. All that come to Heaven must come by Christ 286. ¶ Heaven promised to sinners upon repentance 242. * Heaven prepared for the Elect before they were borne 451. Gods Children must be content to stay from Heaven for the good of those they live amongst 359. †In Heaven we shall be freed from 1. All necessities of nature 652. 2. All labours of this life ibid. 3. Originall sinne 653. 4. All worldly power and authoritie 654. 5. All society with the wicked ibid. 6. All sicknesses and diseases 655. The Heavens shall be new in regard of Vse Disposition Effects 413. In Heaven we shall enjoy 1. Immediate society with God 655. 2. Eternall presence of Christ ibid. 3. Societie of Saints and Angels 657. 4. Lordship over the world ibid. 5. A continuall Sabbath to the Lord. 658. Christ suffered the paines of Hell but not in place of Hell 242. * Women when good helps 206. * Christ borne when Herod was king to shew His Kingdome was not of this world The Iewes kingdome was at the lowest 115. Why Herod was troubled at Christs comming 132. †Herod desired to see Christ not for love but for his miracles sake 201. ¶ The holy Ghost the onely Author of holinesse 482. Sixe meanes whereby the holy Ghost workes holinesse in us 484. Two defects of Popish holinesse 572. All our hope and comfort must bee in Christ 140. * We ought to bee humbled seeing Christ was humbled for us 101. †Christs humiliation the first degree 100. The humilitie of Christ in his birth 117. ¶ None can hurt us but from power given from God 60. 179. * I THe Valley of Iehoshaphat not the place of the last judgement 398. Christ will deale with good men as Iehu with Iehonadab 447. ¶ Humane reason brought the wise men to Ierusalem divine to Bethlehem 130. †Why the Iewes were troubled at Christs birth 132. ¶ In
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
and he had thought to have tarried there till this came into his thought this is not the holy land nor the holy city and so he departed thence then he came to another city where he saw goodly houses fine women good cheere where he thought to have tarried but he remembred this was not the holy land nor holy city so a Christian must doe when hee comes at the pleasures and profits of this life his heart must not bee intangled with them but this must come into his minde that this is not the holy land nor the holy citie that we looke for The second respect is to please the Lord of the countrey especially and the Lord of the soile that he is to passe through that so he may be at peace so it must be our care to please the Lord of the soile and countrey that wee passe through and seeing God is the Lord of the Earth it must bee our care to please him that so wee may with peace passe through this earth to heaven lest we be arrested and stayed in our journey The third respect is that a Pilgrime is ever hasting what company soever he comes in he is still gathering home whatsoever hee doth his minde is of home so we should be like Pilgrimes in this respect that what company soever we come into or whatsoever we doe our minde should still be gathering home as in the Philip. 1. 23. the Apostle Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ Iob 14. 14. saith All the daies of my appointed time I will waite till my change shall be The fourth respect is that a Pilgrime hath no care but this one to have so much foode as may serve him in his journey till he come at home that so he doe not starve so seeing we are strangers and Pilgrimes here in this world this must teach us to be carefull to get so much food knowledge faith as may serve us till we come at home be brought to heaven and happinesse there is much talke of faith and many thinke that they have it but when God shall bring us downe to the waters as Gideon did his men we shall finde but a few to have true faith if wee try our selves by these effects SERMON IIII. IOH. 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me WE see in nature that rivers runne till at length they run into the Sea Even so wee have runne upon many points of Faith till now wee are come into an Ocean Sea of Faith The great Object thereof God in Trinitie of Persons considered We have spoken of the of Faith 1. Vtilitie 2. Kindes 3. Nature 4. Degrees 5. Effects And now lastly we come to the 6. Extention and Object of it The Object of Faith in the largest measure is to beleeve the whole Word of God and not to deny any point of it But the Object of saving faith and of our holy Religion is comprised in the Articles of our Creede The summe whereof is first to beleeve in God distinguished into three Persons Father Sonne and Holy Ghost and that this God hath gathered a Church or a Company of people out of this world on whom he will bestow his graces here in this world and glory in the life to come this is the summe of the faith that wee are justified and saved by And if any deny but one Article of this faith he doth as it were rase the foundation deny the Faith and destroy it in a house a man may pluck downe a sparre or pluck a lath off and the house may stand but if they take away a maine pillar or rase downe the foundation the house will fall so it is in faith a man may deny some points of Faith which be not the foundations of Religion but if he doe denie any of these articles that are comprised in the Creed any that are the grounds he denies all as it is said of some that they destroyed and denied the faith when indeed they denied but one point of it The first point is To beleeve in God Now God is to bee considered two wayes 1. Absolute in himselfe 2. By Relation to us Five things we are to beleeve concerning God as he is absolute in himselfe 1. That there is a God 2. That there is but one God 3. The true God 4. Our God 5. That we shall be the better for him And therefore wee put our selves our soules and bodies and them that appertaine unto us our trust and confidence in him First wee beleeve that there is a God for although wee doe not see him or feele him yet wee beleeve it through the light of nature and the light of the spirit This is the foundation of all Religion which foundation if it bee once laid that there is a God then the heart of man will bee ready to beginne and to looke after Relgion and I doe not doubt but that if a man come once to this to beleeve there is God then it is an easie matter to bring him to this that this God must bee served feared and honoured I doe not insist in this because I doubt or thinke that any doubt of this whether there bee any God or no but because there be some remaines and remnants of blindnesse and ignorance in us the divell also having his temptations but I doe in this as men that have planted young trees they shake the trees and tread the moulds downe to settle the tree so I doe as it were tread downe the moulds and settle the tree even you the more in this point that there is a God Which we may prove by these five things 1. By the workes of God 2. By the place where he is 3. By the nature of the Creatures 4. By our conscience 5. By our experience First by the works of God Rom. 1. For the invisible things of him his eternal power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world so the workes of God declare there is a God Now the workes of God are of two sorts 1. The workes of Creation 2. The workes of Government First the workes of Creation shew there is a God the Creatures could not make it the birds and beasts could not nor man could not for then the part should make the whole nor it made not it selfe but it was God that made it If a man should come into a strange Countrey and see a number of goodly houses and yet see no man there he would not say that the birds and beasts built them but he would thinke that it was some greater power that of men that built it so when wee see this goodly frame of heaven and earth shall we say that the birds and beasts did make it or man Nay it was some greater power even that of God Origen saith that if we should aske the Creatures who made them they if they could speake would tell us that God
thankes unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in light Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdome of his deare Sonne WElbeloved in this Scripture and the like is set downe the ground of the first part of our Christian profession wherein as I told you there be foure points of Faith to be beleeved 1. That there is a distinction of Persons in the Godhead 2. That there is a Divine Person called the Father 3. That he is the Father of Christ of these three we have spoken 4. That he is our Father by the meanes of Christ which now wee are to handle By Faith we are made one with Christ and being one with Him God is our Father by the meanes of him This is comfort to a Christian when hee knowes God is his Father wee reade Iohn 20. 17. when Christ was to depart from his Disciples saith he to Mary Goe tell my brethren that I ascend to my Father and to your Father to my God and your God so Gal. 4. 6. He hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts whereby ye cry Abba Father This is a great Comfort and Blessing that we may call God our Father boldly which we have by the meanes of Christ all the Angels in heaven could not doe or procure it no not for the poorest or meanest man But Christ hath procured it and by no other meanes but by his death and bloudshed Indeed naturally we may say as Iob that Corruption is our father and the wormes our mother so naturally an earthly man may say Sinfull is our father the divell naturally is our father but yet by Adoption we are the sonnes and daughters of Almighty God the heires of heaven Therefore as it is written in the 1 Pet. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe to a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an Inheritance immortall and undefiled c. so also we may say Blessed be God that by the meanes of Iesus Christ is become our father O blessed be God our Father that hee hath begotten us to the hope of heaven Yea there is no man can looke up comfortably to call God Father but by the meanes of Christ The use of this is twofold for Instruction and Comfort First matter of Instruction that seeing God is our Father wee must labour to please to respect and obey him in all our courses and actions And therefore as Christ saith of himselfe that he was not come to doe his owne will but the will of his heavenly Father so we must say Lord I am not come to doe my owne will but to doe the will of my heavenly Father We see in Nature let a childe be betweene his father and a stranger let the stranger bid him to doe any thing and he will not regard it but let his father command him and straightway he will doe it so if God be a stranger unto us then we will not regard or obey him But if he be our Father then we will be ready to obey him in all things that hee commandeth us Ierem. 35. 5. we see it there related that there were pots full of wine and cups set before the Rechabites And I said unto them Drink wine but they said We will drinke no wine for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father commanded us saying Ye shall drinke no wine so a Christian man should say when he is tempted to sinne to lye or to sweare to deceive or to commit uncleannesse O I dare not doe it for God my heavenly Father hath forbidden it I dare not sweare or prophane the Sabbath day I dare not deceive commit uncleannesse for God my heavenly Father hath forbidden me and therefore if God be our Father we must respect and obey him It is a great sinne and corruption that men doe professe God to be their Father and yet they will not obey him but doe the quite contrary God hath commanded we should sanctifie the Sabboth but we prophane it that we should love our enemies and wee scant love our friends that we should speake with great reverence of his Name yet we take it in vaine and so of many others the Lord complaines of such Ierem. 3. 14. Didst thou not still cry unto me thou art my Father and the guide of my youth as if he should say Ye call me Father indeed but ye do not use me like a Father ye doe not obey me and walke in my wayes If I be your Father use me like a Father respect me obey me so Esay 1. 2. the Lord saith I have nourished and brought up children but behold rebellious children And therefore seeing we professe God to bee our Father we must obey him and regard him as a Father Secondly seeing God is our Father we must labour to be like him as much as may be for a Childe desires to bee like the Father and therefore seeing we professe to be the Children of God let us labour to be like him in all holinesse and uprightnesse So the Apostle exhorts Eph. 5. 1 2. Be ye therfore followers of God as deare children so 1 Pet. 1. 14. As obedient children not fashioning your selves unto the former lusts of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation If we his Children we must be like him in three things First we must be like unto God in doing good unto all men within the compasse of our ability therefore Matth. 5. 45. our Saviour shewes how wee should bee like our heavenly Father Hee maketh the Sunne to shine upon the evill and the good and sendeth raine on the just and unjust so our goodnesse should be extended to all men Secondly we must be like God in forgiving the injuries and wrongs that bee done unto us As Col. 3. 21. Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloved put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering forbearing and forgiving one another If any man have a quarrell to another even as Christ forgave you even so do ye Thirdly we must be like him in holinesse of life As 1 Pet. 1. 17. If yee call him Father which without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans workes passe the time of your dwelling here in feare and bee yee holy for hee is holy Wee see how wicked men imitate the steps of their fathers they will bee like them and therefore it is said of Abia 1 King 15. 3. That hee walked in all the sinnes of his father as hee had done before him So those wicked people Ier. 44. 17. say they Even as our Fathers have done before us so will wee doe Here wee see how ready
these were to follow the waies of their wicked fathers then how ready shold we be therfore to be like our heavenly Father God is mercifull and we be unmercifull ready to forgive us the injuries and wrongs that wee doe to him and wee backeward to forgive the injuries and wrongs that our brethren doe to us hee is holy and wee be unholy and therefore I marvell that we doe not blush to call God Father and yet walke in the steps of the divell God is holy and thou art prophane God is mercifull and thou art cruell This is the second instruction The third is that seeing God is our Father therefore wee must trust in him and rely on him as a Father we must labour to moderate the cares of this life because we have one God to take care for us Matth. 6. 25. our Saviour saith Bee not carefull what yee shall eate or what yee shall drinke nor yet for the body what ye shall put on c. and verse 32. he giveth a reason why wee should take no care for your heavenly Father knoweth that yee have need of all these things and out of his Fatherly care will make a supply of them by such good meanes as hee hath appointed therefore wee must wholy rely and trust on him If wee see a young man eager of the world carking caring scraping and gathering together riches men may say this man hath no Father to provide for him So if wee see men scraping gathering carking and caring for the things of this life surely wee may feare God is not his Father for if he were hee would rest upon him Chrysostome saith if a man were going to a feast would hee take care for meat if one were at a fountaine would hee take care for water God of his Fatherly care will provide a table for us and as a rich fountaine will make a supply of all our wants therefore we have no cause to carke or care for the things of this life let this bee thy comfort that if God bee our Father hee will provide for thee This therefore condemnes the scrapers and misers of this world that care not by what meanes they can get it or by what bad course they have it and therefore they doe not rest on God as a Father It is true indeed there is a provident care to bee had for the things of this life but this same carking and distrustfull care is that which the Scriptures condemne The fourth is that all the chastisements that come upon us we take as from the hand of a loving Father and patiently beare them so wee see Psal 39. 9. I was dumbe and said nothing because it was thy doing So 1 Sam. 3. 18. It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good And Luk. 22. 2. Father if thou wilt take away this cup from mee neverthelesse not my will but thy will bee done So every crosse and affliction we should take as a cup tempered and reached out by the hand of a loving Father and therefore wee should patiently beare it Wee see in experience if a stranger beat a child the child will murmur at it but if a Father correct it it will patiently beare that so if God bee a stranger to us then we will murmur at his corrections but if God be our Father then we will patiently beare his loving chastisements The fifth instruction hence is that seeing God is our Father we should bee content to part with any thing wee have to give unto Christ wee read in the story of Samson that when his Father and Mother was going to the wedding he went aside to looke on the carcase of the Lion which hee had killed where hee found a swarme of bees and hony whereof he did eate and gave to his Father and Mother so we should doe going to the heavenly wedding wee should give such good things as wee have seeing we cannot give them to Christs owne person let us give them to his needy members and Christ will accept it as done unto himselfe as Mat. 25. 45. Forsomuch saith he as ye have done it unto one of these little ones ye have done it unto mee Seeing God is our Father therefore all Christians are our brothers and wee should love them for our Fathers sake So Mal. 2. 10. Have wee not all one Father and hath not one God made us why doe wee transgresse every one against his brother and breake the covenant of our God and Father therefore seeing God is the Father of us all we must love them and regard them so Ioh. 8. 42. If God were your Father saith Christ then ye would love me so we may say if God were your Father then ye would love Christians but because yee hate and despise them therefore it is evident that God is not your Father The second thing that was observed was matter of comfort first that seeing God is our Father therefore wee are called to a greater dignity and honour than this world can afford us for it is the greatest preferment in the world to bee called the Sonnes of God and therefore 1 Ioh. 3. 1. hee bringeth it in with an ecce Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that wee should bee called his Sonnes and therefore David to this purpose saith 1 Sam. 18. 23. Seemeth it a light thing unto you to bee the Sonne in law to a King Now then if it be such a matter to bee Sonne in law to a King what an honour is it to bee Son to the King of Kings to God if wee consider wee bee but dust and sinfull and the children of the divell therefore as David saith 1 Sam. 18. 18. Who am I and what is my life and the familie of my Father in Israel that I should bee Sonne in law to the King So wee may say Lord what am I or what is my Fathers house that this honour should bee put upon me to bee called thy Sonne And therefore whatsoever our estate be here in this world it is a great comfort to us to bee one of the Sonnes of God the greatest dignity that this world can afford I shewed you lately that it is the greatest goodnesse and mercy of God to put honour upon his servants that even Kings are glad of this favour and howsoever men cannot away with such now but despise and contemne them yet one day at the day of judgement or of their death to have honor with the meanest of Gods people they would bee glad if they could have but a looke and therefore it is a greater comfort to be one of Gods sonnes and daughters than to have all this world The second comfort is that seeing God is our Father therefore he will bee a Father to us as 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will bee a Father unto you and not in name but a Father in deed to us hee will performe the duty of a Father there
is no Father in time of need will doe more for his child than God will doe for us nor no Father so ready to helpe his child as wee shall have helpe of God Psal 103. 13. As a Father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him and Esai 63. 16. Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham bee ignorant of us and Israel know us not yet thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer and therefore great is the comfort that wee shall finde seeing hee is our Father it is a comfort in the time of mutation of friends when they leave and forsake and cast us off yet wee may say with comfort Lord I thanke thee thou art my Father thou wilt not leave mee nor cast me off but stand by me when the world will forsake me and my worldly friends The third is that seeing God is our Father hee will give us an heavenly inheritance a father wil not die and leave his childe nothing if he be able so God will not be a Father and leave us nothing but he will bequeath unto us an heavenly inheritance so our Saviour saith Luke 12. 23. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers will to give you a kingdome So also Heb. 11. 16. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City God would have us men be ashamed to call him father if he had nothing to give us but seeing he hath prepared for us a City hee is not ashamed to bee called our Father therefore seeing hee hath provided such a heavenly inheritance it is a comfort to us art thou a poore man and hast thou little to live on or art thou a yonger brother and hast thou no inheritance labour to have God thy Father and although thou bee a meane man here yet thou shalt be great in heaven Christ shall be thy brother and heaven shall be thine inheritance The fourth is that seeing God is our Father all his chastisements shall turne to our good so Heb. 12. 6. the Apostle saith For whom the Lord loveth hee chasteneth and he scourgeth every sonne he receiveth If a father correct his childe it is for his good and amendment or at least-wise he would have us to thinke so in like manner as we would have others to thinke of us when wee are correcting of our children that wee doe it for their good let us be perswaded and thinke so of God that it shall turne to our good If a friend should temper a potion and give us it into our hands to drinke although it should worke furiously upon us yet wee would thinke that it shall turne to our good so seeing God is our friend and our father though our afflictions worke strongly upon us yet wee must bee perswaded that it shall turne to our good We heard in the morning out of the story of Abraham that Abimelich the King sought to Abraham to make a league with him at that time when hee was a great heavinesse for the losse of Ismael for Hagar and Ismael were cast out of his doores The Doctrine from hence was That the Lord never sendeth extraordinary crosses and troubles but he sends his servants extraordinary comfort and this ariseth of his fatherly care towards us if a Father gives to his child a sowre cup or a bitter cup he will secretly convey into his hand a peace of sugar to allay the bitternesse and sowrenesse so the Lord doth when he giveth us a bitter cup to drinke hee conveyeth into our hearts secretly as it were a peece of sugar some comfort to allay the bitternesse of it Chrysostome saith There were no man able to saile at Sea if there were no havens and shores and harbors for ships to lye in in the time of tempest so saith hee it were not possible for a Christian to passe this earth through if God should not give him comfort in the time of his trouble The fifth comfort is that seeing God is our Father wee may with comfort at the day of death lay downe our soules and bodies into his hands so wee see Christ doth Luke 23. 46. And Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Father into thy hands I commend my spirit this must teach us when wee come to die to commit our spirits into the hands of God It is the disposition of a childe if hee hath any Iewell in the time of danger to runne and put it into his father hands where he thinkes it a thousand times safer than in his owne so wee should doe seeing wee have but one jewell our soules in the time of danger wee should runne to God and commit it into his hands and thinke it a thousand times more safe than in our owne keeping Now having spoken of the Person of the Father the next in order and course is to speake of his Attributes which are two mentioned in this place 1. That he is Almighty 2. That he is the maker of Heaven and Earth First that he is Almightie Now God is said to be Almighty because he hath power in himselfe to doe whatsoever he will Psal 111. 3. But our God is in heaven and doth whatsoever he will and Psal 135. 6. Whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in heaven and in earth and in the sea so also Ephes. 3. 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doe abundantly above all that we can aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in us be praise and Glory Philip. 3. 21. saith the Apostle Who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe Here a question may be moved why we are taught to beleeve that God is almighty seeing the minde of man is finite and it is not able to conceive of an infinite thing such as is the power of God I answere as a man may stand on the sea shore and looke on the sea where though hee be not able to see the length and breadth of it yet he may see it is a goodly spâ—tious and a large thing so howsoever we are not able to conceive the greatnesse of God and his Almightinesse to see the largenesse of him yet apprehending of him as wee may we shall see him to bee great yea the further wee goe the greater we shall see him to be though we be not able to see his length and depth yet we may perceive the Almightinesse of him as if a man come to a mountaine which hee is not able to comprehend in his armes yet hee is able to apprehend it and to lay hold on it with his hands so howsoever we are not able to comprehend the Almightinesse of God yet we may apprehend it and lay hold on it Now God is said to bee Almighty foure
the Deitie did flow into the Person of the Sonne then our faith goes with it and whithersoever the Deity goes thither goeth the faith of a Christian Now the faith that wee have in the Sonne of God is to be considered three wayes 1. In his Titles 2. In his Incarnation 3. In his twofold Estate of 1. Humiliation 2. Exaltation Concerning his Titles we beleeve 1. That he is Iesus 2. That he is Christ 3. That he is the onely Sonne 4. That he is our Lord according as the Angel saith here in this place And thou shalt call his name Iesus Now in the faith we have in this title Iesus there bee three things implyed 1. That he is a Saviour 2. That in the matter of our Salvation there is no other Iesus but this Iesus 3. That as he is Iesus so he is our Iesus and will save us in the day of death and Iudgement First Iesus as the Angell tels us and as wee all know it signifieth A Saviour wee beleeve that Iesus is a Saviour and will save us at the day of death and at the day of judgement As Matth. 18. For the Sonne of man is come to save that which was lost And 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a true saying saith the Apostle and by all meanes worthy to bee received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners c. So Ioh. 4. 14. And wee have seene and doe testifie that the Father sent his Sonne to bee the Saviour of the world So that if hee bee the true Saviour of the world all that will be saved must seeke to bee saved by him for God saveth not but by the meanes which hee himselfe hath appointed therefore wee must seeke to that It is a rule in Divinity That such meanes as God hath appointed for the saving of us such wee must applie our selves to as God appointed an Arke for saving of Noab and his family from drowning so that all that would bee saved must flie to the Arke so likewise if any were stung with the firy serpents hee had appointed a brasen serpent that if any bitten with the firy serpent looked up they should bee holpen and if any were stung and did not looke up and cast up their eyes there on the brasen serpent they were not helped Even so God hath appointed Iesus to bee the meanes of salvation therefore all that will bee saved must seeke to Iesus to bee saved Ioh. 1. 37. Iohn as soone as hee pointed at Iesus and said Behold the Lambe of God the two Disciples left all and followed him so wee should doe when wee heare it is Iesus that must save us at the day of death and judgement we should bee contented to leave all pleasures and profits and our sinnes and whatsoever is deare to us to bee saved by Iesus But it is a pittifull thing that men desire to bee saved at the day of judgement and after death to bee blessed and yet never seeke to Christ Christ complaineth of this in Ioh. 5. 40. But yee will not come unto me that ye might have life As if he should say yee desire to be blessed and to bee saved but yee will not come to me to have life and to bee saved It is the sinne of the world that they intend matters of pleasure and profit and never seeke to Christ to bee saved if a strange Chirurgion or Physition should come into the countrey if wee conceive him to bee good or heare hee is O how men will seeke to him that they may be holpen of their disease or of their wounds but here is the fault that men do not seeke to Iesus who is able to bring light out of darkenesse health out of sickenesse life out of death Secondly seeing Iesus is the Saviour therefore wee must bring our wives and children our servants friends and them wee wish well to Christ Iesus to bee saved Mark 2. 3. There was a man sicke of the Palsey who because hee was not able to come himselfe was brought by foure men and presented before Christ and so was healed so wee should doe present our children and friends at the feet of Christ by prayer and them wee wish well to that hee may save and blesse them As Mark. 10. 14. They brought little children to him that hee might touch them A learned man saith well hee is the Saviour of little children therefore we must bring them to Christ and present them by prayer to him that he may save and blesse them Thirdly seeing Iesus is the Saviour it shewes naturally wee are all lost in our selves under the curse of God and out of the estate of Salvation and therefore must seeke to Christ to be saved as Matth. 18. 11. The Sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost as a lost sheepe is not at rest but runnes here and there and cryes to the shepheard and is not at rest till hee bee in the fould againe so wee should doe wee should cry to the shepheard and never be at rest till wee bee brought home to God againe In the words of the Angell wee may observe three things 1. Whom he shall save his owne people 2. By what meanes not by strong hand or fighting for them but by dying and suffering for them 3. From what he shall save them from their sinnes First whom hee shall save he shall save his owne people so that if we bee not the people of Christ we cannot bee saved A number of men thinke that seeing all bee sinners and Christ dyed for sinners therefore all shall bee saved but this is an error in the world for hee shall save none but his owne people and therefore if wee will be saved we must labour to bee the people of Christ obedient to his commandements to live under his government and to bee guided and governed by him in all our actions for if wee bee not gathered home unto him obey him and live under his government we are none of his people and then we cannot looke to bee saved It is said Psal 18. 27. Hee will save the humble and will cast downe the proud Now who bee the humble people even such as bee brought low upon the consideration of their sinnes and sit under the burthen of them at the feet of Christ these bee the people that shall be saved Secondly how hee shall save them not by strong hand nor by fighting for them but by suffering for them as it is said Ioh. 1. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world even as the lambe in the Law typified the taking away of sinne so Iesus tooke away our sinne In the Law when they brought a Lambe to offer the man made confession of his sinnes on the head of the Lambe and put them vpon the Lambe the Lambe was killed and the man went free so all our sinnes
was laied on Christ He was killed and wee goe free Iesus saveth us by giving his life for us as Matth. 20. 28. His patterne is proposed unto us Even as the Sonne of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life for the ransome of many so 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that wee being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed Iesus did save us by giving his soule and body as a ransome for us our sinnes were put upon him he tooke our roome and place and so stood as a malefactor before God arraigned and condemned for us and suffered the torment that we should have suffered thus did Iesus save us by interposing and giving himselfe to pay for us whatsoever God would require at our hands and therefore as Rebekkah said to her sonne Iacob Gen. 27. 12. when he was loth to goe to his father to steale the blessing On me my sonne bee the curse if there be any blessing or benefit to be found on thee bee the blessing but on mee the curse so Christ saith to his people if there be any blessing or if there be any good or benefit on you be the blessing on you be the good and benefit but on mee my people be the curse Thus Christ taketh the sowre and leaves us the sweet this is the royall exchange wee make with Christ When Onesimus was runne away from his Master Philemon and had stolne away things from him being converted Saint Paul sent him home againe with a letter as wee see Philemon 18. and saith If he hath done thee any wrong or any injury set it upon my score I will pay thee I Paul have written it with my owne hand so Iesus doth to us wee bee all runne away from God have done injury and wrong to him Christ meets with us and sends us backe againe with a Letter in our hands to this effect Father if they have done thee any wrong or injury doe not require it at their hands but put it on my crosse put it on my score I will answere thee I Iesus have not written it with inke and paper but with my owne Blood Therefore seeing he hath saved us by dying for us let us take heede wee doe not despise this great salvation which Iesus hath wrought for us Esay 53. 11. it is said he shall see the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied Christ hath laboured and travelled for us and it cost him sore labour too now he hath not laboured for our meate money nor our goods but hee hath laboured for our soules to bring us to repentance to faith and unto God therefore if wee bee brought to repentance if to faith if to God this will satisfie Christ this will rejoyce him but if he cannot see the travell of his soule then it will repent and grieve him that ever he swet in the garden dyed on the crosse for us therefore let Christ see the travell of his soule and this will satisfie Iesus and thus Christ saved us not by strong hand by fighting for us but by suffering and dying for us Thirdly from what hee saved us He saved us from our sinnes It is a sweet thing to bee saved from sicknesse from fire and water from the sword but it is a greater matter to be saved from our sinnes than to bee saved from sword fire and water for wee may bee saved from these things and yet our soules may perish therefore the greatest matter is to bee saved from our sinnes which howsoever we doe not see it now yet one day wee shall for one of these dayes wee shall dye wee know not how soone and then we shall see what a great matter it is to bee saved from our sinnes and at the day of judgement when the heavens shall melt with fire and the earth shall bee dissolved and heaven open above us and hell underneath us and the divell ready to accuse us Then we shall see what a great blessing the pardon of sinnes is from other things therebee divers wayes and meanes to save us but to save us from our sinnes there is but one meanes and that is the blood of Christ therefore howsoever we are thankfull to God for other deliverances yet above all let us be thankfull that God hath saved us from our sinnes for he is a blessed man that is thus saved from his sinnes whatsoever his estate be in this world So Psal 32. 1. Blessed is hee whose wickednesse is forgiven and whose sinne is covered he that is saved from his sinnes is a blessed and a happy man There bee two dangerous things in sinne the Guilt of sinne and the Power of sinne both these wee are saved from the Guilt of sinne is the binding of a man over to answer for it at the judgement seate of God and the Power of sinne is the ruling and raging of sinne in a man Now both these Christ saveth us from from the Guilt of sinne and the Power of sinne for hee saveth no man from the Guilt of sinne but in some measure he saveth him from the Power of sinne it is true indeed that therebee sinnes and weaknesses in the people of God and will be so long as wee carry fraile flesh about us for wee are regenerated but in part therefore if there bee a striving against sinne if there be a hatred a loathing and a distasting of them then we are in some measure saved from the Power of sinne and from the Guilt thereof but if wee doe not finde this striving against it this hatred and loathing of it then wee are not saved as yet from the Power of sinne nor the Guilt thereof How shall a man know that lyeth in the jayle whether his friend hath procured a pardon from the king or no if the Iaylor come and knocke off the manacles on his hands and the chaines off his feet by this hee shall know his friend hath procured a pardon for him but if this party lye in the jayle still bound in his fetters and chaines then it shewes there is no pardon come So we may know when Christ hath procured a pardon for us or not if wee feele the chaines and fetters of sinne to be taken off from us a hatred and loathing of them a striving against them it is a good signe but if wee finde our selves fast bound in our sinnes and continue in them then as yet wee cannot assure our selves they be pardoned The second thing that is implyed in the title Iesus is That there is no other Iesus but this Iesus in the matters of salvation and redemption for there is no salvation to bee found but onely in him as Act. 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given no other name under heaven whereby wee must bee saved In the time of the
of God First we beleeve he is the Sonne of God Psal 2. 7. it is said Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and Ioh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life so Gal. 4. 4. But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a Woman c. so it is cleere by the Scripture that Christ is the Sonne of God And if he be the Sonne of God then he communicates of the same substance and nature that God the Father is of as wee see in the course of nature the substance the Father is of the same he communicates to his sonne the same nature and substance that is in the father is in the sonne therefore if wee will looke upon God the Father wee must looke upon Christ saith Iesus unto Philip Have I been so long time with you and hast not thou knowne me he that hath seene me hath seene my Father therefore if we would see God let us looke on Christ for the same nature and substance that is in God the Father is in the Sonne If a man hold a glasse in his hand and set it against the Sunne and then looke in it hee shall as truely see the body of the Sunne as if he looked on the Sunne so it is with us desiring to see the reflexion of God if we looke on Christ we shall as truely see God as if we looked on God Himselfe for the same nature that is in the Father is in the Sonne Now what bee the consequents of this If the same nature bee in Christ that is in God then Christ must be God for who can deny but that the same nature that is in God the Father the same must needs be in the Sonne Augustine saith that the sonne must needs be a man seeing the father is a man for the same nature that is in the father he communicates to his sonne so then the Sonne of God seeing hee is of the same nature and substance with the Father hee must needs bee God equall with the Father hence the inference is true that Christ is God But because the Arrians be somewhat busie in these dayes who robbe Christ of his Godhead therefore I will prove unto you by foure arguments that Christ is God First the same names are given to Christ that are given to God and are attributed in such a manner as never was to any but to God Ioh. 20. 28. Thomas saith Thou art my God and my Lord and Rom. 9. 5. the Apostle saith Of whom Christ came who is God over all blessed for evermore Amen and Ioh. 11. 3. This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ so Tit. 2. 13. Looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of that mighty God and of our Saviour Iesus Christ He was not called God by appellation as Moses was called Aarons God because hee was in the roome of God to execute justice and judgement but he is called God in such a peculiar manner as never none was but God therefore Christ is true God The second Argument is that the eternall properties of God are attributed unto him now this is one of the eternall properties of God to bee eternall before all beginnings which is attributed to Christ Proverb 8. 22. The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his wayes I was before his workes of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning and before the earth when there were no depths was I begotten so Christ was eternall Ioh. 8. 58. Before Abraham was I am I say the Arrians in figure and type hee was before Abraham but the text meaneth really Christ was not in figure and type but in truth and in deed Another propertie is the Omnipotencie of God and this is ascribed unto Christ therefore he is God As Philip. 3. 21. it is said Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe Against this the Arrians oppose and say he had it by donation after his resurrection but I say Christ had it eternally before his resurrection as Matth. 11. All things are given me of my Father Thirdly it is the property of God to be present in all places but Christ is present in al places therfore he is God Now that Christ is present in all places It may appeare by this in the Gospell where it is said Where two or three be gathered together in my name I am in the middest of them and Matth. 1. 28. I am with you even unto the end of the world Against this the Arrians obiect and say Christ is present in grace but not a reall presence to which I answer that Christ is realy present with his people as Revel 1. He was in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks The third argument is that the proper workes that are attributed to God are also attributed to Christ as the worke of creation Col. 1. 16. For by him were all things made so Ioh. 1. 3. All things were made by him and without him was nothing made which was made Against this the Arrians except it is not the worke of creation and making the world which is there spoken of but the worke of renouation or making of his Church but looke into Ioh. 1. 10. and you shall see it is the worke of creation and not of renovation For it is said That the world was made by him and the world knew him not that is the wicked of the world therefore wee may see it is not the renovation of the Church which is there spoken of so Col. 1. 16. For al things were made by him whether they be visible or invisible there the Apostle speakes of the making of Angels therefore it cannot be of the worke of renovation for renovation is proper to men for none is renovated but such as fell away but the elect Angels fell not away and therefore needed not renovation so then it must be the worke of creation Againe salvation is a worke that is proper to none but God but salvation heere spoken of is a proper worke of Christ therefore hee is God so hee speaketh in Esai 43. 11. Besides me there is none other saviour so likewise it is a property of God onely to search the reines but this property belongs to Christ and therefore he is God so it is said in the Revelation And all the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reines and heart The fourth argument is that the same honour which is given to God the same is given to Christ Now there be three honours due to God all given to Christ 1. Adoration 2. Invocation
3. Faith Adoration as Heb. 1. 6. When he brings his first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels worship him Invocation as by Stephen who called on God and said Lord Iesus receive my spirit so of Saul Act. 9. 14. it is said that hee bound all that called on the name of the Lord. Faith as Iohn 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me to which purpose is that Act. 17. 3. Therefore wee may see by these arguments that Christ is God and to take heed of this brutish opinion of the Arrians Now what be the consequents of this that he was not a bare man but he was God also who did redeeme us There bee divers reasons why he onely should redeeme us First because he that did redeem us must beare the burthen of al the sins due to al men that hath beene and shall be now there was none that could doe this because the wrath of God was infinite save Christ Iesus for let the wrath of God come upon the Angels they are not able to beare nor stand under the burthen of it but it will presse downe and sinke them as low as Hell Secondly he that should redeeme us must pay a price Incomparable better and more worth than the bodies and soules of all men that ever were now there was none that could doe this but God and therefore he must bee God who redeemed us Thirdly he that should redeeme us must put on all our sinnes even all the sinnes that had been committed and shall be from the beginning of the world to the latter end and apparell himselfe with them but there is no man no Angell able to doe this and to stand before God unlesse there be infinite goodnesse in him to countervaile the justice of God therefore it must be God that must doe it The second branch is that we doe beleeve he is the onely Sonne of God not by creation as the Angels spoken of Iob 1. 6. nor by adoption and grace as men Ioh. 1. but by communicating his nature and essence to him Now this doth commend the goodnesse and mercy of God to us that when wee had sinned against him and had no way to redeeme our selves he having but one Sonne and his onely begotten Sonne yet gave him to dye for us so to redeeme us The uses are first seeing Christ is the only Son of God let us labour to become one with him and then we shall also be the sonnes of God as Ioh. 1. 12. But as many as received him to them he gave power to be the sonnes of God and Gal. 3. 26. For ye are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus I know there is never a one here present but could be contented to be the sonne of God let us then labour to bee with Christ by faith and so we shall become the sonnes of God for hee draweth all his members into the same dignity with him David accounted it a great matter to be the sonne in law to a king so Moses to be a sonne to Pharaohs daughter howsoever he refused it afterward Now if it bee such a great matter to bee sonne in law to an earthly king much more is it to bee a sonne to God therefore what a comfort is this to such poore people that are one with Christ by faith howsoever they bee hated and despised at the hands of wicked men 1 Ioh. 3. 1. hee bringeth it in with an ecce Behold what love the Father hath shewed to us that we should be called the sonnes of God All the world doth not know what a great blessing it is to be the sonnes unto God wee see how great men will talke of their nobility and of their great descent but alas what is all this if we be not the sonnes of God therefore thinke this with thy selfe I am a great man in the world and come of a noble blood and a great descent but what is this unto me unlesse I bee the sonne of God And therefore let us labour to bee one with Christ and then as Christ was raised from the dead so he will raise us up together with him and wee shall be found the sonnes of God Secondly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God wee may see the horriblenesse of our sinnes and the greatnesse of them that when wee had sinned all the creatures in heaven and earth could not doe it but it must be the Sonne of God he must come downe take our nature upon him and dye for us Augustine saith O man by the great price that was paied for thee thou maiest consider the greatnesse of thy sinnes that they cost the bloud of Christ the Sonne of God If a man should commit an offence and all the nobles should kneele on their knees before the king for him and could not get release but that it must be the kings sonne onely that must doe it hee must shed his blood take the place of a malefactor be arraigned condemned and executed in his roome all men would conceive that this was a horrible fact that must be the cause of this this is our case when we had sinned all the heavenly powers could not bring us into favour againe but it must be the Sonne of God hee must take our roome and place bee arraigned condemned and executed for us therefore sinne is no small matter neither must wee esteeme of our sinnes slightly but consider with our selves that great are our sinnes that hath brought this on Christ Thirdly we should heare his voyce it is the charge the God giveth Matth. 3. 17. This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him and therefore it is a great sinne to despise the voyce of Christ in the ministery of his Word Saint Paul sheweth what a great sinne it is saith he God spake by the Prophets at sundry times and in divers manners but now he hath spoken in these last times by his Sonne and therefore in the second Chapter he exhorteth us To take heede of it that wee doe not let it slip for if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience receiveth a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Therefore seeing Christ is become a Prophet of the Church let us take heede we doe not despise his Word or voyce It was a holy thought in God when the Church of the Iewes had killed the Prophets beaten and despised them I will send my Sonne it may be they will reverence him it was a sweet thought in God to doe so And therefore let us take heed we doe not despise the voyce of Christ Ioh. 5. 28. it is said The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God even the dead cinders and ashes of men that have been rotting in the graves many thousand yeeres they shall startle and
stirre at the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking unto them but once and therefore how shall this condemne us that Christ hath spoken so many times and yet wee doe not once stirre or move at it which are living men to goe about our businesse therefore this shall condemne us that the dead cinders of men that have lien in their graves many a yeare shall startle and move at one voyce of Christ and yet wee doe not at a thousand of his voyces Fourthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God wee must take heed we doe not despise him Psal 2. it is said Kisse the Sonne lest hee bee angry O labour to kisse him seeke his favour do not grieve him woe be to him that shall lift up his hand against him to grieve him 1 Cor. 8. 12. Saith the Apostle Now when ye sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake consciences ye sinne against Christ therefore we must take heed wee doe not sinne against our brethren and so sinne against Christ for the sinnes of us Christians more grieve Christ than the sinnes of the world because wee professe he is our Lord and Master and will bee ruled and governed by him and be his servants therfore in this case when a man sinneth against him it is more than the sinne of a stranger or an alien Wee see in the Scripture how Christ complaines One of you shall betray me but wee be to him that doth it and when Iudas came to betray him he saith To what end art thou come art thou come to betray me As if he had said Why thou art a disciple of mine thou professest that thou art my servant and that I am thy Lord and Master and doest thou come to betray me so Ioh. 1. it is said Hee came amongst his owne but his owne received him not if he had come amongst strangers and aliens and had been so used by them the matter had been the lesse but seeing he came amongst his owne and they received him not this it was that did grieve Christ the more so Hosea 4. 12. God complaines My people aske counsell of their stockes and their staffe declareth unto them Wells beloved let us take this to heart when a prophane man liveth in his sinnes impenitent what doth Christ hee doth not so complaine of them But when a Christian shall live in sinne uncleanesse maliciousnesse or deceite this it is that grieveth Christ and maketh him to complaine Fifthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God we must shew the greater measure of thankefulnesse to him for who can sufficiently speake of his goodnesse that he being the onely Sonne of God and God over all would abase himselfe to take our nature upon him and dye for us We have heard of the love of Rebecca to her sonne Iacob when shee gave him counsell to goe to his father to get the blessing hee was afraid his father would have felt and handled him and so in stead of a blessing he might have procured a curse but shee bids him not to feare it On mee bee the curse my sonne if there be any comfort on thee be the blessing but on me be the curse Such and farre greater is the Love of Christ to us he saith On me be the curse my people but if there bee any good or any blessing or comfort to be had by my sufferings or paines on you be the blessing therefore seeing Christ hath made such a change with us who can render sufficient thankefulnesse to him for it Nehem. 11. wee see the people blessed those that would dwell at Ierusalem because it was a dangerous place Now if this people thanked them that would dwell with them hazard and venture their lives O how thankefull ought we to bee unto Christ who hath given his life for us and therefore how are we bound in all love and thankefulnesse to him The late powder treason that was in the yeere of our Lord 1605. the delivery from it is a fruit and benefit we have by Christ and therefore it was carefully and religiously provided of our Magistrates to set apart a day to give thankes in a service to be performed for it for he hath not onely delivered our soules but also our bodies from the jawes of hell Now I come to speake of His dominion which is the second thing in the dignity of His Person our Lord wherein two things are to bee considered 1. That he is the Lord of the World 2. That he is our Lord. First hee is the Lord of the whole world and hath all kingdomes at his command Luk. 1. 33. And hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall bee no end so Act. 2. 3. Let the house of Israel say and know that God hath made him both Lord and Christ Now Christ is the Lord of the world in two regards First in regard of the Soveraignty that is in himselfe he hath all power under him to dispose of at his will and pleasure as Matth. 11. 27. All things are given me of my father both the possession and the disposition of them and Act 2. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feete so Luk. 10. 17. And the seventy returned againe with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued to us through thy name All things are subject to him he is the great Lord of the world Secondly hee is the Lord of this world in regard of service for all things doe serve him whatsoeuer Psal 119. 91. They continue to this dayly by thine ordinances for all thy servants therefore seeing there is nothing but doth service to him he is the Lord of this world Now there is a double service a service which the godly and a service which the wicked performe there is a voluntary service which the godly performe and unvoluntary which the wicked performe as the Axe in the hand of the hewer doth service voluntary so doe the wicked when they doe any service to God they doe it by constraint unwillingly all things doth service unto God either willingly or by constraint for wee cannot stirre a foote or a hand or doe any thing but it is by the appointment of God It is a good saying of Augustine Now grant Lord saith he that we may doe the good service for whether wee bee willing or not willing we shall serve thee thy providence and hidden will if we serve thee unwillingly then we serve thee like slaves but grant Lord that wee may serve thee willingly and voluntarily as thy children ought to serve thee and thine owne people And thus Christ is the Lord of the world The use is first seeing Christ is the Lord of the world it shall bee well with the Church and the members thereof and as Christ is the Lord so hee will order every thing to the good of them in Psal 96. 10. it is said The
Esai 53. wee are all like sheepe that are gone out of the way To this purpose is that of Chrysostome If thou wilt be a Iudge set up a throne in thine owne heart and arraigne thy selfe God hath not made thee a Iudge of another man but of thy owne life thus the arraignment of Christ should teach us to arraigne our selves Thirdly the manner how judicially under a colour of law as if they did intend justice whereas they intended nothing lesse under this colour they condemne the innocent and I would it were not so still in the world that under the shew of law they destroy the innocent that it was so of old appeares 1 King 21. where Ahab killed Naboth under colour of law and Act. 7. 23. Steven was before Ananias yea and now also are there a number of such Caiphas's in the world that will say they doe nothing but law and yet under the colour thereof destroy the innocent but this may be a comfort to a Christian that though he be condemned in the court of man yet hee is cleare in the great court of God where he shall be acquitted from all unjust taxations Now there be foure testimonies of Christs innocency First that they sought picked matter against Him they had none before they had taken him now they seeke matter against him and therefore they examine him of his Disciples and of his Doctrine thinking thereby to picke out something that they might lay to his charge and finde him guilty thereupon but hee who was the wisedome of the Father staves them off and keepes them from taking any occasion from his words by his wise and discreet answer as shall appeare if we take into consideration these two things 1. His holy concealement 2. His holy defence First for His holy concealement he doth not discover his Disciples but answers onely for his Doctrine not a word of them hee might have said One of them betraied him and another had denied him and that they all fled from him and ranne away but because he could not speake any good of them therefore Hee rather would say nothing would to God men would thinke of this when they speake of their neighbours if they cannot speake any good of them rather not to speake at all but it is a corruption in nature that men had rather speake of their neighbours vices than of their vertues contrary to that precept Tit. 2. to speake evill of no man Secondly His holy defence he defends his doctrine and sends them to al the common people that they might testifie of it saith hee I spake openly to the world I ever taught openly in the Synagogues and in the Temple whither the Iewes resorted continually And in secret places have I said nothing aske them that heard me he cared not who should judge him though if were his enemies which should teach us that wee should so live as that our enemies can have no just cause against us so Paul carried himselfe 1 Thes 2. 10. Yee are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves amongst you and the Prophet 1 Sam. 12. 3. Behold saith hee here am I witnesse against me before the Lord and before his annointed whose exe have I taken c Secondly that they sought for witnesses against him there were enow of witnesses for him but they seeke for witnesses against him if they had asked Nicodemus he could have told that no man could have done those miracles except God were with him So if they had asked the blinde man Ioh. 9. 33. or the people Mark 7. 37. they would have told them Hee hath done all things well or the officers and sergeants and they would have answered Never man spake like this man Ioh. 7. 46. they might have found enough to cleare Christs innocency but they were bent the other way The third was that they got witnesses but their witnesses did not agree for howsoever the Priests had plotted the matter and put into their mouths yet they disagreed so let men take heed how they bee false witnesses they may plot the matter and yet be confounded in their speech and so bring a reproch to themselves and let such remember what is written Prov. 19. 9. That a false witnesse shall not be unpunished c. Now the Evangelists declare the matter further by an example of two false witnesses that came in against him the one alleaging this man said I can destroy the Temple of God and build it againe in three daies Marke relates it we heard him say I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and in three daies I will build another made without hands Now the Spirit of God calleth them false witnesses for though Christ spake some such words yet it was contrary to this sense and meaning for they spake of the materiall Temple and Hee of the Temple of his body And this must make us take heed how we report the words of Christ lest wee be false witnesses against him as the Papists are who literally taking these words This is my body say that the bread is the reall body of Christ as he was borne of the Virgin Mary Christ meaneth spiritually that it is a signe of his body though they take it for the materiall body of Christ so also the Arrians are false witnesses because Christ saith My father is greater than I they say Christ is not equall with the Father but he spake in regard of his humanity The fourth testimony of his innocencie was that Hee was condemned for the truth for he said he was the Sonne of God as he was indeed and so he died an innocent man But why doth Christ inlarge this answer for two causes 1. To comfort himselfe 2. To terrifie his enemies First to comfort himselfe that howsoever hee stood now as a poore prisoner arraigned and condemned at their barre yet one day they shall come before him to be arraigned of him there he doth comfort himselfe with future glory now as Christ did comfort himselfe even so should all Christians in the time of their afflictions when they be sicke poore and in distresse whatsoever thy estate be meane or poore yet one day thinke I shall be with God where I shall not want anything thus Christ comforts his Disciples Matth. 19. Verely I say unto you that when the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his majesty ye which have followed mee in the regeneration shall sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel so Stephen comforts himselfe when a showre of stones came about him in that he saw heaven open and Christ standing at Gods right hand ready to helpe him and receive his soule Secondly to terrifie his enemies for howsoever they thought themselves great men yet one day they were to have Christ to bee their Iudge even this same poore Iesus O that the world would thinke
love mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with 〈…〉 As Exod. 25. the Cherubines that did stand upon the Arke did 〈…〉 upon the mercy seate as they did looke with their faces one towards another so wee must performe our duety to God that we doe not neglect our duety to men but in what order must this be performed First wee must doe our duety to God then wee must doe it to men Chriâ—â— was carefull for his mother but it was from the crosse for first he did submit himselfe to the will of his father and was obedient to the death of the crosse after that he was carefull for his mother so we must doe when we have done our duety to God we must be carefull to performe duety of love and kindnesse one to another Fourthly if Christ were carefull for his mother let us not doubt but that he will be carefull for his church Ioseph when he was in Egypt and his father in Canaan saith unto Pharaoh Sir I have a poore father and eleven brethren that are like to starve you have corne enough I pray Sir let mee send for them and let them dwell in the land of Goshen so Christ saith to God his father I have a company of poore distressed servants in the world afflicted and troubled I pray thee send for them bring them home unto thee that they may behold thy glory I but some men may say indeed Christ was carefull for his mother because she was his mother and his good mother too but what is that to me How may I assure my selfe that he will be carefull for me too To this I answer that if we doe the will of God then wee are his brother his sister and his mother so Christ saith Matth. 12. For whosoever shall doe the will of my heavenly father he is my brother my sister and my mother so if we doe the will of God wee are his brother his sister and his mother and as he was carefull of his mother and did commend her to Iohn when hee was to depart this world so hee hath given a charge to this whole world concerning his church to heaven and earth hee hath given a charge to his Angels Psal 91. 11 12. For hee hath given his Angels charge ever thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt nor dash thy foot against a stone Which although it be especially spoken of Christ yet there is not a member of Christ but it concernes too so hee hath given a charge to the whole world concerning his Church Psa 105. 15. Touch not mine annointed and do my Prophets no harme so also hee hath given particular men a charge to doe us good even a number we know not of as 1 King 17. 8. When Elias was in distresse at the river and wanted meate and drinke the river being dryed up The word of God came unto him saying arise get thee to Zarephath which is in Sidon and remaine there Behold I have commanded a widdow there to sustaine thee so God hath given a charge to a number of men we know not of to feed us and sustaine us therefore as Christ commended his mother to Iohn so God hath given a charge concerning his Church to Angels to the whole world to particular persons Secondly the time when he spake when hee was in paines and in torments upon the crosse which may teach us when bodily paines be upon us wee should stirre up our selves to doe good to those wee leave behinde us so Christ 〈◊〉 forgate his paines and trouble that was upon him and stirred 〈◊〉 himselfe to doe good I know through frailety of the flesh we shall have little minde to thinke or to speake of any good but Christians must not give place to the flesh but stirre up the graces of God which is in them so Steven Act. 7. comming neere his death when a shower of stones came about his eares kneeled downe and called upon the Name of God old Iaakob also when he came to dye he gathered up himselfe and worshipped towards the end of his staffe and bowed himselfe so a Christian must reare and stirre up the spirit of grace which is in him if a man fill a bottle of ale and fling it into the sea howsoever a man may pull downe the bottle it will rise againe if it be not held by plaine strength so howsoever a Christian man may bee held downe through the paines that be upon him yet as long as there is a Spirit of grace in him it wil shew it selfe at one time or other Thirdly The effects of the speech that from that time forth hee tooke her home to himselfe that is hee tooke her for his mother which must teach us that every one must bee carefull to performe the will of the dead if it be the will of the dead we must be carefull to doe it Gal. 3. 15. saith Paul Though it is a mans testament yet if it be confirmed no man does abrogate it or adde any thing to it so the will of a dead man is not to be disanulled and this is seated in nature that it is an injury and wrong to a dead man when they doe not performe his will as Ier. 35. 6. And I set before the children of Rechab bottles full of wine and said unto them Drinke wine But they said We will not drinke wine for Ionadab our father commanded us saying Yee shall drinke no wine you nor your sonnes fo ever which they observed onely because it was the will of their dead father much more we that be Christians how carefull should we be to performe the will of the dead seeing wee beleeve the Resurrection that we shall all rise againe and then with what faces can we looke on them at that day with what face can the wife looke on her husband and the childe on his father and one brother on another when we have not done their wils but have rather done injury and wrong to them Secondly as Iohn was obedient to Christ in the estate of his humility when he was upon the crosse much more we should be to him in the estate of his glory let us bee carefull to remember his will and commandements and doe them for although he hath not laid it may be the care of wife or of children on thee or of servants yet he hath laid the care of the preserving of thy owne soule and conscience take heed therefore doe not starve or famish it for if we doe neglect thar he puts us in trust to doe how shall wee looke upon him at the day of judgement we see in experience if a man commit a childe to one to nurse if she shall neglect starve and famish the childe how can she looke on the party that did put the childe to her so it is a greater sinne to starve thine owne
did hang on the crosse basely and contemptibly and that he had the dispensation and disposing of it The second is a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but that he will impart it unto others The third is that he will impart it to others who are poore penitent sinners not onely to the just but to the penitent and this was the ground of his prayer Now every one of us must lay this ground of prayer First he must be perswaded that Christ hath a kingdome and that he was come into it and hath the power and dispensation of it so Matth. 28. 18. All power is given wee in heaven and in earth so Ioh. 5. 22. For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Secondly a perswasion that he will not keepe it to himselfe but will impart it to others even as a conduite receiving water doth not keepe it to it selfe but conveies it to others so Christ received this kingdome not to keepe it to himselfe but to convey it unto us as Luk. 22. 29. therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me so Christ doth not retaine it to himselfe but hee doth impart it to all others Thirdly that he will impart it to poore penitent sinners Matth. 9. 13. our Saviour saith that he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance and therefore if men will repent of their sinnes let them not feare but that Christ will bestow it on them for he will not bestow his kingdome on the just onely but on poore penitent sinners this is the ground of his prayer Now for the prayer it selfe and herein wee observe two things 1. What he prayed for 2. The time when hee prayed First for what he prayed hee prayed to bee remembred when Christ came into his kingdome hee did not pray Christ to pull the nailes and spickes out of his hands and feet to have his body saved or his paines mitigated or asswaged but he desires to be remembred when he comes into his kingdome so he lets all the care of his body goe and applyeth himselfe to have his soule saved to be remembred when Christ comes into his kingdome Now with the other all his care was for the saving of his body and to have his body eased of his paines which because Christ would not asswage he railes on him but this man is contented to let all goe so his soule may be saved now in these Theâ—ves are figured out all the men in the world when they come to dye with some all their care is to have their life prolonged their bodies saved to have their paines asswaged and eased so wee see it was the care of Ahaziah king of Israel shall I recover my fall all his care was to know whether he should recover of a bodily cure so it is with the world all their care is to know whether they shall recover or no but the Saints care not so much for the saving of their bodies as their soules let the body suffer what it will they are contented to suffer any paines so they may have their soules saved I have shewed you heretofore that if an house bee on fire they will fetch out all the best things so that if any perish it shall bee the worst because if all cannot bee saved it is wisdome to save the best so if our soules and bodies bee in danger that wee cannot save both let us labour to save the best which is our soules as this theefe did not desire to have the spickes pulled out of his hands and feet to have his paines asswaged and eased but his desire is to bee remembred so what paines soever wee endure we must say I am contented to beare it save my soule onely If a man by a shipwracke bee cast into the sea a planke comming to him will hee not let goe his gold and silver and catch hold on the planke to save his life so we are all floating in the sea of this world ready to be drowned with the pleasures and profits therof ready to be sunke as low as hell therefore how much more had we need to castaway every thing that doth hinder us and take hold on the meanes that God hath appointed for saving of our soules I but what is it that he prayes for he prayes to be remembred why should he be remembred hee was a theefe a bad liver a notorious fellow one would have thought hee would have desired Christ to have forgotten him To this I answer that there be two kinds of Remembrances 1 Remembrance of God in Iudgement 2 Remembrance of God in Mercy First there is a remembrance of God in judgement as Psal 9. 12. For when the Lord maketh inquisition for blood he remembreth them he forgetteth not the complaint of the poore So likewise in Hos. 7. 2. And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickednesse The Lord remembreth all the others they have sworne all the lyes they have told all the Sabbaths they have prophaned all the houres they have mispent and so all their sinnes the Lord remembreth to punish them Secondly there is a remembrance of God in mercy as Gen. 8. it is said The Lord remembred Noah that was in goodnesse and mercy Psa and 132. 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions and so the Theefe desired to be remembred not in judgment but in mercy in like manner David desired not to be remembred in judgment where he saith Psa 3. 25. Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellion hee desires God to remember him in his tender mercy and his loving kindnesse as also here the Theefe prayed Christ not to remember him in his sinnes and in his transgressions but to remember him in the multitude of his mercyes Secondly the time when he prayed and it was when hee was upon the crosse in paines and torments ready to dye then he stirred up himselfe to prayer and this must teach us that when wee come to dye wee must stirre up our selves to prayer and to repentance and to other Christian duties I know when paines be upon us wee shall have little minde to speake or to doe any thing but wee must then stirre up our selves to prayer and gather up our selves so wee see Stephen did in the 7. of the Act. even when a shoure of stones came about him then he stirred up himselfe and called on the name of God Now the next thing we are to speake of is the Answer of Christ and that is a Promise wherein we observe foure things 1 Vpon what his promise was made 2 Vnto whom it was made 3 What was promised 4 When he would performe his promise First upon what he made his promise upon his prayer which may teach us that true prayer shall not want his due fruit so Matth.
feeling of their wants We see Christ complained of his thirst so we may complaine to God of our wants And is it not also as lawfull to complaine to men Yes but wee must be sure to use no unlawfull meanes to ease our selves but wait on God where we may see the difference between a true christian and a man of this worldâ— for the one may desire peace ease wealth and such like but there is a moderation in their desires not to have it with any coÌ„dition but by good means which if they thus obtaine not they can rest contented with the good wil of God so we may desire these things but not against the peace of conscience but the other the men of this world care not what means they use to have their desires as Matth. 4. when Christ was hungry the devill came to him and bade him turne stones into bread so the devill doth still when Christians are in want and necessity he will come to them and bid them turne stones into bread that is use unlawfull meanes put themselves upon bad courses to come out of it but wee must take heed of this if wee have not our desires yet wee must waite on God and be contented with his good will So Psal 123. the Church doth As the eyes of a servant looke to the hands of his master and as the eyes of a maiden to the hands of her mistris so our eyes waite on the Lord our God till he have mercy on us In like manner if we be in want or in any trouble we may desire to come out of it but we must use no unlawfull meanes only waite we must on God and be contented with his good will whatsoever it be in the use of good meanes Thirdly the time of his complaint When all things were accomplished when he had lost a great deale of blood and indured a great deale of paine All this time he held it to himselfe till he had set mans salvation in safetie and made that sure he never complaines of his thirst Wherein we may consider the marvellous love of Christ that till hee had made mans salvation sure did not looke to himselfe such a carefull eye he carried for our good and safetie Which love of Christ to us must teach us to shew the like love to him againe to forget our owne ease profit and pleasures that wee may doe service to him as Ioâ— did I have said he preferred the words of his mouth before my appointed food So Ioh. 4. Christ being weary set himselfe downe on a Well when his disciples were gone into the citie to buy meat in which time came a woman to draw water whom hee did convert after which when his disciples came againe with meat and would have had him to eate he made this answere That it was meate and drinke to him to doe his fathers will He had not so much regard to himselfe as to his Fathers will so it must bee with a Christian hee must passe by himselfe and care not what become of him so God may have glory Wee may see a worthy example hereof in Abrahams servant Gen. 24. 33 who being sent to get a wife for his masters sonne when there was meaâ—e â—et before him he could not eate till he had done his businesse he came about Now if a servant have so much care of his masters businesse that hee would not eate or drinke till hee had done it much more should we be carefull to do Gods will therefore when men have so much regard to their owne case and profit and passe by that which tends to Gods Glory this doth shew that there is not the like love to Christ we see in experience if a childe fall into the fire or water if the mother heare of it what businesse soever she hath shee lets all alone and cannot be at rest till she hath set her childe in safetie againe so it was with Christ he forgate himselfe till hee had set our saluation in safety and then he did thirst and we should shew as neere as may be the like love to Christ againe The fourth was The Event of his thirst Christ being on the crosse complaines of thirst Now is there any that brings him wine to comfort him or drinke to refresh him or water to coole him No but they give him vinegar to drinke And because it was not afflictive enough they gave him it with Hyssope to make it more bitter and sowre Here we may see the vilenesse of the souldiers to give such a draught to Iesus Christ our Lord and blessed redeemer in his extremity we are all ready to condemne them and that justly for it but I pray God we be not the men and women that doe the like For as Christ said vpon the crosse Sitio I thirst so be saith now to all the men and women by his spirit in the world Sitio I thirst what wilt thou stand still and gaze upon him or wilt thou not regard him I dare lay that there is never an one here but would be ready to say Lord what wouldst thou have what is it thou thirstest for Why I thirst not for the wine nor for the strong drinke nor for thy honey or thy milke But O man I thirst for thy salvation thy conversion thy Repentance and for thy faith And therefore seeing we heare that Christ doth thirst what wilt thou doe O man wilt thou give him vinegar to drinke as the souldiers did or wilt thou give him wormewood to drinke or temper a cup of poyson and give him Now the truth is There is no wormewood or gall so bitter to our taste as thy impenitencie hard-heartednesse and the sinnes thou livest in are unto Christ for every sinne we commit we doe as it were put a drop of poyson into a cup for Christ to drinke therefore whereas we condemne the souldiers we had neede condemne our selves and come home to our selves Let us therefore temper a better cup for Christ to drinke on than this let us repent us of our sinnes convert and turne to him this will satisfie Christ Wee reade in the English Chronicles of a Monke that got a Toade and pricked and pressed her inâ—â— a cup of wine and gave it to his Liege-lord to drinke Now I dare say there is never an one here but doth detest the fact But the truth is every sinne we commit we doe as it were temper such a cup of poison for Christ our blessed Saviour and Redeemer therefore I pray God whereas we condemne them for this vile fact that there be not just cause to condemne our selves SERMON XXIIII IOHN 19. 30. VVhen Iesus therefore had received the vinegar hee said It is finished AMongst the seven last words of Christ this is the sixth in order And it is a Song of Gratulation and a triumphing Song for the worke of mans Redemption and Salvation When Moses had led the children
redeemed us by his Sonne not onely by his life but by his death also And therefore as S. Andrew saith I am more beholding to thee O Lord for the worke of my redemption by the death of thy Sonne than for the power by which I was created therefore if a man should be thankfull for his creation much more should he be for the worke of his redemption for it was a marvellous love of Christ the hee tooke our nature upon him to come into the world to worke our redemption to lose his life to finish and perfect it and therefore how thankefull ought we to be for so great a mercy Secondly seeing our redemption and salvation is perfected and finished by the death of Christ wee may see the grievousnesse and greatnesse of our sinnes that when we had sinned against God all the powers in heaven and earth could not doe it but it must bee Christ that eternall Sonne of God and it was not with his life only but with his death wee thinke much of suffering any little affliction or trouble but Christ must die to expiate sinne and to abolish it whereas neither Angels nor Archangels nor all the Saints and holy men in the world could have done it therfore seeing Christ paid so deare for it we must take heed we doe not account it a light matter to sinne Therefore let us take heed how we grieve him by our sinne seeing hee was contented to lose his life and to shed his heart blood for us SERMON XXV LVKE 23. 46. And when Iesus had cryed with a loud voyce hee said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having said thus he gave up the ghost OF the seven last words which Christ spake on the crosse this is the last which containes an holy Resignation of the soule and spirit of Christ into the hands of his Father wherein something in generall and something in particular is to bee considered The generall is this That all the speeches and words that Christ did speake on the crosse from the first to the last were holy and good so hee did not onely begin well but did end well also he made an holy close of his life when he came to breathe out his last breath which must teach us what the care of a Christian should be when he is in sicknesse and trouble not onely to begin well but to continue well till he come to dye and breathe out his last breath and then to make an holy close of his life this is that which Christ speaketh of Mat. 24. Hee that continueth unto the end shall bee saved and the spirit of God Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull to the death and I will give thee a crowne of life An Archer though hee ayme and draw well yet if hee in the loose let his hand slip or sinke downe he will be wide of the marke so though we begin and ayme well yet if we start aside or sinke downe when wee come to die wee lose all our glory therefore it must bee our care not onely to begin but to end well also It is in sanctified motions as it is with wheeles that bee swiftest at the first and afterwards slower and slower till the wheele stand still so it is in sanctified motions they bee swiftest at the first and afterward by little and little they abate till at last they dye if they bee not supplied by good meanes therefore it is good not onely to begin well but also to end well too when we breathe out our last breath Iohn 2. Christ set out the best wine at the last But quite contrary it is the manner of the world to bee best at first and worst at last with the people of God it must not be so for if there bee any worst it must bee the first and the best at the last Indeed it is the fashion of the world to begin well and to end ill but the people of God must not doe so they must not onely begin well but also continue well and end well and so make an holy close of their life when they breathe out their last breath and when they shut up their eyes from the light of this world they may see the kingdome of heaven The next thing to be considered is the practice of Christ when hee came to dye In which observe five things 1. To whom he commended his spirit to his Father 2. What it was he commended his spirit 3. When he commended his spirit at the instant of his death 4. Vpon what ground he commended his spirit upon a perswasion that he was his Father 5. What comfort wee may have by the commending of his spirit into the hands of his Father First to whom hee commended his spirit the Text sheweth to his Father When we be alive we commend our selves to our friends in hope of comfort but when we come to die we must commend ourselves to God only therefore as Christ when hee came to dye shut up his eyes and did not looke upon his mother nor his disciples nor upon any beloved but hee did wholly commend himselfe into the hands of his Father in hope of comfort so when wee come to dye wee must shut up our eyes and not comfort our selves in our wives children friends and those we love deareliest but we must commend our soules into the hands of God Yea the people of God have good cause to doe so in regard he is all in all to us as David saith Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee therefore hee cast himselfe upon God in hope of comfort so a man while he liveth may have many friends to commend himselfe to but when hee commeth to dye there is none but God that we can commend our soules to Therefore seeing no man hath any body to commend his soule to at last but God onely it must be our wisedome to keepe God our friend for if we despise him in our health it is just with him to despise and reject us when we come to die We read Iudg 10. 14. when the Children of Israel had forsaken the Lord and followed Baalam and Astaroth and served them in their distresse when they came and cried to God to save them out of the hands of their enemies the Lord said unto them Goe and crie unto the gods whom ye have chosen Let them save you in the time of your tribulation In like manner the Lord will say to us when wee have despised him in the time of our health and have followed our pleasures profits and our old sinnes goe and crie unto the gods whom yee have served see if your money will save and helpe you you that have made your pleasures your belly and your sinnes your God now see if these will helpe you for if ye despised God in your life time it is just with
passed that heaven and earth could not reverse it therefore either we must die in our own persons or Christ must die for us he took our nature upon him died for us and so gave satisfaction to the justice of God In the Law we see when lots were cast for the Goats he that the lot fell on was killed and the other escaped so there were lots cast whether we should die or he it pleased God that the lot fell on Christ hee was killed and we escaped wherein we may see the infinite love of Christ that died to satisfie the justice of God that we might not die we reade 2 Sam. 10. 33. David cried out O my sonne Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom would God I had died for thee O Absalom my sonne my sonne wherein he shewed the true affection of a father Now that which David desired for his sonne Christ hath performed for us and therefore when wee thinke of the death of Christ we may thinke of the infinite love of God to us If one should commit such a fault against the King that he should lose his head or his eye or some part of him how farre should a man goe to finde such a friend to take his punishment upon him and so free him But Christ doth more for us than this he hath not only lost an eye or an hand for us but hee died for us therefore as often as wee thinke of the death of Christ so often wee should thinke of the love of God The Centurion Luke 7. sent the Elders of the Iewes to Christ to tell him of one that loved their nation and builded them a Synagogue but Christ hath done more for us than to build a Synagogue for he hath loved us and wished away our sinnes in his bloud as Saint Iohn saith Revel 1. 5. And therefore as often as we thinke of the death of Christ so often let us thinke of the infinite love of Christ that he would die for us to satisfie the justice of God for sinne Secondly it was needfull that Christ should die that our sinnes might die in his death for he tooke all our sinnes upon him as Saint Peter saith Who in his owne body bare our sinnes upon the Crosse when he went to die on the crosse all our sinnes were bound unto him who carried them up with him unto the crosse that they might be crucified with him and die in his death this was another thing that made a necessity of the death of Christ therefore if we live in sinne what doe we but pull downe our sinnes from the crosse of Christ bring them to the fire rub and chafe them as it were put Aqua-vitae into the mouth of them that they may live againe Iosua 7. we read that Achan stole away a wedge of gold and a Babylonish garment of the spoile when Iericho was destroyed and that proved his owne destruction in the end so if wee steale our sinnes from the crosse of Christ notwithstanding Christ died that sin might die with him then these same stolne sinnes will be our destruction Thirdly it was needfull that Christ shold die to seale unto true beleevers the promises that God hath made in the Gospell God hath bequeathed life everlasting and Christ heaven and happinesse to those that repent and beleeve In the law there is nothing but death and destruction promised to those that did transgresse and breake it but in the new testament God hath promised to them that repent and beleeve life and salvation heaven and happinesse Therefore that these promises might be sealed and confirmed Christ must die for as long as the testator liveth the testament is of no force As it is Heb. 9. 16. For saith he the testament is confirmed when men be dead because it is of no force as long as he that made it is alive therefore that the promises of God might stand good unto us it pleased the sonne of God to die for us and to seale it with his blood all which is to sustaine and comfort us for although wee have nothing here but misery and trouble yet one day we shall bee put in possession of heaven and happinesse as a man that hath a patent or a sealed deed that hee shall have such lands and livings one day though hee have not any thing to help himselfe yet he wil comfort himselfe with that which is to come so though we be put in possession on these promises presently yet let us comfort our selves that one day they shall be verified unto us and although wee endure troubles and afflictions in this world yet we may bodly stand up and say Lord I thanke thee I have a sealed deed to shew that one day I shall enjoy the promises that thou hast made in the Gospell here we see for the comfort of a Christian it was needfull for Christ to die and to seale with his blood the promises that are made in the Gospell Secondly the time when he died when he had finished the worke of mans redemption and done the worke hee came for a long time did he hang on the crosse in paines and torments yet he dyed not till hee had done the worke hee came for which must teach us that wee should bee willing to die when we have done our worke when wee have repented of our sinnes and made Christ sure to us then we should be willing to die and never till then so it is said of David Act. 13. 36. After he had served his generation by the counsell of God he fell on sleepe and was laid unto his fathers and saw corruption so the Lord said to Moses Numb 31. 2. Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites and afterwards shalt thou be gathered unto thy people in like manner we must doe the will of God and fulfill the worke he sent us to doe and then we shall be willing to dye and never till then If a master should send his servant beyond sea to deale for him in his businesse if hee come home and doe the halfe onely and leave the other halfe undone hee must looke for a cold welcome home so God hath sent us into this world to doe his businesse whereof if we doe but the halfe leaving the rest undone we may looke for a cold welcome when wee come to dye 1 King 19. 4. we read that Elias laid him downe under a Iuniper tree and desired that he might die saying it is enough O Lord take away my life for I am no better than my fathers at which time an Angell came unto him and said Vp Elias eate and drinke for thy journey is too great for thee so many times a Christian may have a desire to dye when troubles and griefes are upon him but the Spirit of God comes unto him and bids him arise for God hath another service for him to doe We see Christ was not willing to dye
strike terrour into the hearts of men to doe any injury to Ministers when they know the Lord sent them and although there bee nothing in themselves to cause us men to doe it yet wee must receive them for Christs sake The Apostles saith 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then are we Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through us We pray you in Christs stead that yee would bee reconciled unto God And therefore seeing Christ sends the Ministers and they come of the Lords message it should be your care thankefully to receive them Secondly their Commission to what end they were sent to the same end that Christ was As my Father sent me so send I you Luk. 19. 10. it is said The sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which was lost Now all true Preachers are sent to the same end to seeke and to save that which is lost Men are lost in sinne and runne away from God the Preachers therefore are sent to seeke that which is lost and to bring them home againe so it is an easie matter to go into the wildernesse but it is a hard matter to finde the way out againe It is an easie matter to goe into the world O but it is a hard matter to be brought to God therefore when men have lost themselves in their sinnes and runne away from God as farre as the prodigall sonne ran from his Father the true Preachers are sent to seeke them up againe and to bring them to God Secondly Christ was sent not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance as appeares Mat. 9. 13. to the same end all true Preachers are sent to bring men to Repentance to convert them to God and to turne them from their evill courses to a hatred and detestation of sinne and wickednesse Thirdly Christ came To preach deliverance to the captives as appeares Luk. 4. 18. All men by nature are become captives to the devill and slaves to sinne being unable to helpe themselves whrefore God seeing mans misery sent his onely Sonne Iesus Christ to take mans nature upon him thereby to set at liberty and free mankinde out of the vassalage of sinne and Satan and to this end also are the Preachers sent as the Apostle Paul witnesses 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing those that oppose if God peradventure will give them repentance that they may know the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devill who are are taken captive by him at his will therefore let us not stand in our owne light but let us now arise to lay hold on so great a good as the redemption of our soules and bodies from the miserable slavery of sinne and Satan which now is offered unto us by the Ministers of the Word of God Thirdly the Ability Christ gave them to performe their charge hee breathed on them and said to them Receive the holy Ghost wherein two things are to be observed 1 What He gives them 2 By what signe First What he gives them the holy Ghost all our preaching can doe no good till it pleaseth Christ to send the holy Ghost and to mingle his spirit with our speeches and words that it may be effectuall to convert men to beget faith and increase grace in us This is an excellent blessing that it pleaseth Christ to mingle his Spirit with our words so that the spirit of Christ attends the Ministerie of his word as the apostle saith 2 Cor. 3. 6. Who also hath made 〈◊〉 able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life It is called the Ministration of the spirit because the holy Ghost doth attend it and make it fruitfull and effectuall Therefore this is excellent comfort to all Gods people that it pleaseth Christ to mingle his spirit with the words of the Preacher for if a Preacher have but a little sparke of the spirit of Christ he is able to doe much We see if a man have but a little sparke of fire let him come to a house of gun-powder and this sparke will be a meanes to dissolve and bring the whole fabricke to nothing by blowing it up So if a Preacher have but a little sparke of the spirit of Christ it will dissolve this same huge house of corruption that the divell hath and at length bring it to nothing Therefore it is good for men to attend the word and regard it for Christ doth not send the bare Ministery of his word only but he giveth his spirit with it also Secondly by what signe he gave the holy Ghost He breathed on them Now we are not to thinke that this breath was the Holy Ghost it selfe for it was but a meere winde or aire but we may safely say and thinke it was a signe of it so wee see Esai 6. 7. And he laid it upon my mouth and said Loe this hath touched thy lips and thine iniquitie shall bee taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged wee may not thinke that the Prophets sinnes were taken away by touching his lips with a coale from the Altar for it was onely a signe of it so also Zech. 3. 3 4. Now Ioshua was cloathed with filthy garments and he stood before the Angell And hee answered and spake unto those that stood before him Take away the filthy garments from him And unto him he said Behold I have caused thine iniquities to depart frō thee Here we are not to thinke the Angell tooke away Ioshuas sinne by the outward act of taking away his filthy garments for this was nothing but a signe of it that as he tooke away those filthy garments from him so God did by his inward grace take from him all his sins and iniquities in like manner Christ by breathing on the Disciples gave them a signe that hee would also give them the holy Ghost But why did Christ give it by a signe that men might know that they had received of the same spirit which was in Christ we see when Moses did ordaine Elders Hee laid his hands upon them that men might know that they received of the same spirit that Moses had so Christ did breathe on them that they might know they had of the same spirit of Christ in them Secondly it was for the more assurance that he gave it by an outward signe for when men doe know that the spirit of Christ is in them and are perswaded of it it makes them regard and attend it Fourthly The authoritie whose sinnes yee binde on Earth shall bee bound in Heaven and whose sinnes yee retaine shall be retained Now here is great power given Whose sinnes ye binde on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whose sinnes ye loose on Earth shal be loosed in Heaven But yee Must know this power is not given to our persons but to our
virgin Mary now then if we aske the Papists where is Christ they will bee ready to say in such a Church and such a Church or he is betweene such a Priests fingers but aske the faith of a Christian professor where hee is and that will tell you that hee is ascended into heaven and therefore to avoid this Doctrine of the Papists in all likelihood it is that our Saviour saith Matth. 24. 23. If any man shall say unto you here is Christ or there is Christ beleeve him not doe not goe after them for Christ is ascended into heaven whither seeing Christ is ascended let us gather after him and although our bodies cannot yet ascend yet let our hearts and mindes and as the Disciples did follow him with their eies till a cloud came and tooke him up out of their sight so let us follow him with our hearts and mindes till we be in his sight Fourthly The manner of this ascension Luk. 24. 50. He lifted up his hands upon them and blessed them this was the last farewell he did not leave unto his Disciples houses and lands castles and mannors but he left them his blessing as the best portion which must teach us when we are to depart this world though wee cannot leave lands and livings to our children yet let us leave Gods blessings behinde us the knowledge of God the hatred of sinne the love of vertue conscience to walke with God as Gen. 28. 3. when Rebeccah sent her son Iaakob for a wife though his father was rich yet he was to the eye of the world but meanly provided having for his journey onely a staffe in one hand and a bottle of oyle in the other but together with them he had his fathers blessings and Gods blessing laid up in it and with these his mother thought him better furnished than his rich brother Esau with all his wealth so let a poore man leave Gods blessings to his childn and then he shal have the best portion that can befall him Now by the vertue of this blessing the Apostles passed through many troubles and were fenced with it against all the hard dealings of this ungratefull world for they cared not who cursed them so God blessed them nor who hated them so God loved them so if we get Gods blessing if that be upon us then we are â—enced against all the hard dealings of the world I but some man mâ—â— sâ—y how shall I be partaker of this blessing of Christ O that I had lived at that time and had beene amongst the Disciples To this I answer David tels us who be the persons and how wee may have this blessing Psal 24. 4. Even hee that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift up his soule to vanity nor sworne deceitfully be shall receive a blessing from God so then labour to be an innocent man and to have a pure heart doe not drinke in the sinnes of the age thou livest in and thou shalt bee the man that shall be blessed and though thou be not blessed in the sight of others in this world yet thou shalt be pronounced blessed at the day of Iudgement even that mouth that shall curse the wicked and drive them to hell shall blesse thee and say Come yee blessed of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you Secondly it is said While hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up to heaven that is he went by little and little not sodainely as he went from the two Disciples that went to Emmaus but here he went leasurely by little and by little till he was taken up till a cloud came and tooke him up out of their sight after which manner hee shall come againe And so say the Angels Act. 1. and therefore so often as we looke upon the clouds wee may thinke that the same chariots shall bring Christ againe howsoever they doe now bring us snow and raine and haile and wind yet they shall bee the chariots to bring Christ to Iudgment at the last day But the inlargement hereof we deferre till the next time SERMON XXXVIII LVKE 24. 50 51. And he led them out as farre as to Bethanie and he lift up his hands and blessed them And it came to passe while hee blessed them hee was parted from them and carried up into heaven HAving before spoken of the Reasons why it was needefull that Christ should ascend and of the Time when he ascended and also à quo of the place whence he ascended and that was Bethania and ad quem whither he ascended and that was to Heaven As also we began to speake of the manner of his ascension and therein we first observed that at his ascension He lift up his hands and blessed them which was his last farewell to the Church and to his Disciples wee read Gen. 27. 33. what Isaac said Iaakob have I blessed and he shall bee blessed so Christ will say to his servants and people I have blessed them and they shall be blessed For if Christs â—â—essing be upon us wee are fenced against all the unkindnesse of this ungratefull world if a father give a bitter cup to drinke into his sonnes hands hee will put a little sugar to allay the bitternesse of it so though the Lord give us a bitter cup to drinke of troubles and afflictions in this world yet therewithall hee gives us a little sugar to allay the bitternesse of it the comfort of his Spirit the pardon of our sinnes and the feeling of his favour I but some man may say may every man have this blessing of Christ I answer No for as Iacob said to his mother when he went to get the blessing from his brother Esau It may be that my father will feele me and handle me and then if I bee found to bee a deceiver I shall bring a curse upon me instead of a blessing so Christ will handle us and feele us as it were to see if we bee right children if we be not wee cannot have his blessing for it belongs to none but children adopted by his grace and mercy Some will be ready to say how may this blessing come upon me would I had beene amongst the Disciples when Christ was upon the earth I will not answer thee but God shall by the mouth of the Prophet David declaring who shall obtaine this blessing Psal 24. 14. Even he that hath cleane hands and a pure heart which hath not lift up his soule to vanity nor sworne deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from God hee that is a harmelesse man and doth not wrong or injury to his neighbour hee that doth not drinke in the sinnes of the age hee liveth in hee that doth not lift up his minde to vanity for there is a great deale of vanity in man vanity in the speech vanity in apparell this is the man that shall receive this blessing from
to the good of them because the government is in his hands Wee see in experience when there is a cunning Pilot set at the stearne of a ship though it bee tossed with the waves and troubled with winds yet hee will carry the ship safe into the harbour even so as long as Iesus Christ is our Pilot and sits at the sterne of heaven though there be many winds and waves beate on the ship that is though there be many troubles and afflictions that doe arise yet he safely brings both soule and body to the haven or harbour of rest It is a good meditation that the learned have out of Matth. 8. the Disciples were in a ship at sea where arose a great tempest so that the waves beate on the ship which was in danger whilest Christ was asleepe in the ship Then they cried to him and awaked him and he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calme so say they the Church is compared to a ship and this world to the sea the troubles and afflictions of this life to the winds and waves that beate upon the ship and indanger it therefore we must doe as the Disciples did runne to Christ awake him by our praiers and stirre him up by our repentance and then he will arise and rebuke the winds and the sea and there shall he a great calme therefore in all the troubles and rages of the world we are to consider that Christ sits at the right hand of God and hath the government of the people of the whole world and he will turne all to the good of his Church and people Now the consideration of this will make feare flye from thee as the darkenesse doth from a candle Thirdly why Christ is said to sit and not to stand at the right hand of God Of which there be three reasons First To shew unto us that hee hath now finished the worke of mans redemption and having done all he is set downe at the right hand of God this is that he would have the whole world to see that now mans redemption is finished and perfected so Heb. 10. 12. But this man after hee had offered one sacrifice for sinnes sate downe for ever at the right hand of God Now although Christ hath wrought the redemption of man and is set at the right hand of God yet wee must not sit downe too but seeing he hath done his part we must doe our parts though he be set yet we must not sit but labour to lay hold on that which he hath purchased and apply it to our selves for although Christ hath purchased it yet if wee doe not apply it we shall be never the better for it If a man lye bound hand and foote in a deepe dungeon and a Iaylor come and set open the prison doores bidding him come to him and he will take the Gives and Bolts off from his hands feet and when he hath done so the Iaylor sits himselfe downe with the keyes in his lap now doe you thinke though the Iaylor sits still the prisoner will no I warrant you but rather would labour to creepe out of the stinking prison so seeing Christ hath opened the prison doores and hath knocked off the Gives and the Bolts of sinne and is set downe at the right hand of God with the keies of hell and of death we must not sit downe too but apply our selves to come out of our sinnes and to lay hold on the mercy that is offered to us Secondly because there is a judiciarie Power committed unto Him that is a power of judgement he sits to arraigne men and to give judgement and sentence against them and as earthly Iudges sit to order and to determine of all things that are done â— so Ioh. 5. 22. it is said The Father judgth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Sonne therefore because Christ holds a court of judgement to judge the whole world wee must be carefull to passe the whole time of our life and dwelling heere in feare and holinesse before God because Hee sits to judge us and though we bee not afraid of earthly Iudges yet let us bee afraid of the heavenly Iudge for howsoever men may shift the matter and blinde an earthly Iudge yet they cannot blinde the heavenly therfore every man must consider when he is drinking deceiving lying swearing and the like that Christ will judge him for it Thirdly because he is in the continuall act of judgement hee is alwaies on the judgment seat alwaies ready to administer judgement to the world earthly Iudges bee not alwaies on the judgement-seate but they have their vacation times out of tearme as they say that is they have certaine times of hearing O but Christ is in the act of judgement and on his charge continually Moses sate from morning till night to heare the people but he was weary of that but Christ sits continually and is never weary in the act of judgement Hence wee may learne these good instructions following First to comfort us in afflictions and crosses that Christ is alwaies ready to waite and attend on the causes of his servants and people a man may come at an unseasonable time to men as Luk. 11. it is said the man came to his friend at midnight and he was rebuked of his friend O but we cannot come at any unseasonable time to Christ hee sits night and day on the throne and will bee ready to heare us therefore in all our troubles this may give comfort Secondly to strike terrour into the hearts of men and to make them afraid of sinne and to offend him because he sits on the throne still and is ready to execute judgement If a theefe should steale or cut a purse when the Iudge is on the bench hee in worthy to be hanged sentence is ready to passe upon him presently so seeing Christ is on the bench and in the act of judgment if a man sinne against him sentence is ready to be passed hee may presently have execution done upon him and indeed all the judgments that come from day to day upon us come from Christ the executions be in the country but the writs and sentences amongst us come from a higher court from London so here in this world be all the executions but the sentence and the writs come from above they come from the court of heaven Fourthly To what end Christ sits at the right-hand of God for two ends first To make intercession for us as Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuary but is entred into heaven to appeare now in the sight of God for us We see in Samuel that Saul was angry with David many times and would have killed him but still Ionathan interposed himselfe and laboureth to pacifie his fathers
Church by hiding of them The Papists demand of us where our Church was before Luthers dayes To this I answer the Lord did hide them in the wildernesse all the time of the rage of Antichrist Saint Hilarie saith Yee doe not well to love the wals of the Church and to make such accompt of the Temple know yee not that Antichrist shall fit in the Temple of God boasting himselfe as if he were God therefore saith hee looke not for the true Church of God in the Temples but looke for it in mines caves and secret places The third meanes whereby Christ defends his Church is Miraculously and wonderously so the Lord delivered the Church out of Egypt from Pharoah and so likewise The three children out of the Firie fornace and Daniel out of the Lions den and Peter out of Prison when hee should have beene brought out the next day to execution Yea the Lord doth not onely defend his Church wonderfully but also gratiously as 1 Sam. 13. 26. it was told to Saul that David was in the wildernesse of Maon presently Saul and his men followed him and Saul with his men were on the one side of the mountaine and David with his men were on the other side but there came a messenger to Saul saying Haste thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land so David was delivered gratiously though it were not miraculous and wonderfull but by a rumour and report onely heere wee see though the Lord doe not deliver us miraculously and wonderfully yet hee doth gratiously in making our greatest and chiefest enemies friendly unto us and so gives us peace The fourth meanes whereby Christ doth defend and protect the Church is By giving them invincible courage to endure all that the world shall put upon them so although they bee slaine at the foote of the Lambe and the blood come downe at their heeles yet they goe away with a glorious conquest So Paul Rom. 8. saith For thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neverthelesse in all these things wee are more than conquerours through him that hath loved us for through their Christian courage they carry away the conquest Revelation 12. 11. it is said But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives to the death Cyprian saith well God would let the world see that though Christians be slaine and trodden under foot for the Gospell and for the testimony of the truth yet they cannot overcome them because they bee not affraid to dye in the cause of Christ for as Christ by dying overcame death so all his members must overcome by dying Augustine makes this question whether the Tyrant doth overcome or the Christian in the eye of sense and reason one would thinke that the Tyrant hath the better because hee takes away life and blood but it is the Christian that doth overcome because the Tyrant aimes doth not somuch at the life or blood but he labours to take away God Christ the hope of heaven and to destroy Faith and Religion but the Tyrant though hee take away liberty or blood or life yet he cannot take away God nor Christ nor the hope of heaven nor the pardon of their sinnes from them therefore a Christian is the conquerour hee hath the better As wee see in nature a man comes to kill a serpent hee strikes at the serpent the serpent labours to fence his head because his life lyes in his head hee will take a wound any where before hee will take it there now as long as the serpent fences his head and keepes his life hee hath the better because the man fought to take away his life and yet he keepes it so when a Tyrant labors to take away Christ God and faith from a Christian yet as long as hee can keepe Christ and his graces it is sufficient because hee is the head and life lyes in him though hee bee wounded in his name or in his goods or his life taken from him yet a Christian hath the better I will further shew it you in an example of Scripture wee see that the Divell was as it were let loose on Iob hee tooke away his children and his goods and hee left him nothing but the stench of his teeth yet Iob had the better because the divell did labour to take away his faith and comfort in God which he could not and therefore seeing Iob did keepe this God sets the crowne on his head and hee goes away the conquerour so though sicknesse take away a mans health and usurers his money and theeves his goods and tyrants his life and blood yet as long as a man keepes God Christ his faith and hope of heaven he hath the better The fifth meanes is By destroying and confounding all their enemies for although it pleased God to use them for the chastening of his children yet at last hee will destroy them a father useth a rod to chasten his sonne for his amendment yet at last hee will destroy the rod so wee see Exod. 5. what grievous taskes were laid on the children of Israel by Pharoah to make them willing to depart the land the Lord was faine to doe as men doe by bees to smoke them out to make them leave their hives so the Lord did smoke them out of the place and at last Pharaoh the rod it selfe was drowned in the red sea so Dan. 8. wee see the Little horne which was the King of Macedonia hee did overcome for a time and tread under the people of God yet at last his horne was broken so also Revelation 12. The Beast that had seven heads and ten hornes that did labour to devoure the woman hee also shall goe to destruction and therefore let not Christians be discouraged and dismaied though they see the Church hath great enemies for God will defend and protect them against all their enemies if they walke worthy of the Gospell and labour to please God in all their courses these bee the foure actions whereby Christ doth rule and governe the Church which for your memories sake I will briefly recapitulate unto you First that hee doth draw and pull them out of the condemned multitude of the world and bring them to an estate of grace secondly hee doth guide and governe them by his Word and Spirit Thirdly he doth exercise them with divers temptations and trials Lastly hee doth protect and defend them against all their enemies The Vses wee are to make of Christs sitting at the right hand of God are first that seeing Christ sits in the highest place next to God therefore wee must labour to submit our selves unto him sinke downe at the feet of Christ and bee contented to bee ruled and guided by him but they that are ruled by their owne lusts and sinnes they doe as it were pull downe Christ
to the ensuing Acts. The third Act is The appearing of the signe of the Sonne of man after which signe immediately will follow Christs owne comming in Person unto judgement For the better clearing of this wee are to consider three things 1. Why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 2. What this signe is 3. What the Effects of it be First why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excellencies sake because that Christ himselfe immediately upon the signe appeares for there be two sorts of signes either remooved signes such as precede and goe a long while before Christs comming which I mentioned heretofore or immediate signes such as are neer or in a manner joyned to his comming as some of the Prophets foretold long before Christs coÌ„ming but Iohn was the immediate forerunner he pointed at Christ and therefore when they saw Iohn they were rowsed up to the beholding of Christ so when we see this signe then we must presently looke for Christ for therefore it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man because of the excellencie that it goeth immediately before his comming Secondly What this signe is there bee divers opinions of this some thinke one thing and some another some take it to bee Christ himselfe but it cannot bee taken so because alwaies the signe is not the thing signified There is an opposition betweene these two so that the signe can never be the thing signified and therefore it is some other thing that is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man Some others take it to bee the burning up of this World because it is said that A firie streame issued out when the ancient of dayes sate upon his Throne But it cannot bee this because that this signe appeares in Heaven onely and this universall fire is not onely in Heaven but also in Earth Others take it to be the sound of the last Trumpet but it cannot bee this because there is a distinction betweene them for Christ tels us of the signe of the appearing of the Sonne of Man verse 300 and of the sound of the Trumpet verse 31. The Papists they say that it is the signe of the Crosse and Bellarmine saith that all the fathers doe so expound it But there is a Iesuite one of their own fellowes that contradicts him who affirmes it is not certainly found out what is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man for the fathers doe diversly expound it therefore we may â—ee that Bellarmine is too bold to say that all the fathers expound it so because there is no man that reads the fathers but may see it otherwise for Origen takes it for the miraculous power and vertues of Christ Saint Ierome takes it to be Christ himselfe Chrysostome expounds it of the wounds that bee in the hands and feete and side of Christ therefore whereas Bellarmine saies the fathers doe expound it to bee the Crosse any man that will consult them may see there is no one of the fathers who expound it so besides there bee two reasons why I dare not assent to take the signe of the Sonne of man to be the Crosse First it is true that there is the signe of Christ but the Crosse is no where taken for the signe of Christ in the Scriptures therefore there is no ground for this opinion Some of the Papists thinke that it is the wooden Crosse but that was broken into divers shivers therefore if it had pleased God to make that the signe of the Sonne of Man hee would have preserved that and have kept it as he did the bones of Christ that one of them was not broken Againe it is not the wodden Crosse for that is a thing that is turned to corruption unlesse we will beleeve there is a resurrection of the Crosse as there is a resurrection of the body The Church of Rome indeede doth keepe a feast in honor to the Crosse and say that it shall be joyned with his comming but thence to inferre it shall be so is no good consequence Some of them againe doe thinke it shall not be the wooden Crosse but a crosse that shall be in the Ayre the truth whereof I finde no where in the Scripture And now to tell you my heart told me alwaies that Christ did expound it in this chapter and that the Disciples did understand what the signe was or else they would have asked him of it as they did Matth. 13. when hee told them of the tares Master say they Tell us the meaning of the tares Then I perused the Chapter and I did light on verse 27. where it is said As the lightning commeth from the East and shineth into the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of Man be That is with infinite brightnesse and splendor shall he come at that day In which place Christ tels his Disciples that there bee many shall say Loe here is Christ and there is Christ but beleeve them not for I will give you a signe of my comming and that is when you shall see infinite brightnesse and splendor that shall come from the body of Christ the brightnesse whereof shall darken all other lights When they shall see this it shall awaken the World and stirre up every man to looke for Christ Now that there shall be such brightnesse and splendor come from the body of Christ it is cleare by the Scriptures Revel 21. 23. And the citie hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it So the brightnesse of Christs body shall bee infinite more than all the lights of this World and Matth. 7. when Christ was transfigured on the Mount His face did shine as the Sunne and his clothes were as white as the light Moses when he came from the Mountain and had talked with God his face did shine and there was great glory put upon him but yet there was great difference between the glory that was on Christ and his For first this glory was but onely on Moses face but this was all Christs body over Secondly when Moses put a veile over his face they could not see his glory but Christ did shine through his garments Thirdly the glory that was on Moses was fearefull that the people fled away but the glory that was on Christ was amiable for Peter sayes It is good being here let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Fourthly Moses could not communicate his glory to any but Christ he communicates his glory to others for Matth. 13. it is said That the Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Firmament So wee see that the glory of Christ is greater and yet this glory that was on Christ in
the Mount was but a type and figure of the glory that shall be on Christ at the day of judgement and this glory and brightnesse that shall appeare before his comming I take to be the signe of the Sonne of Man Thirdly what the effects shall bee of the signe of the Sonne of man and surely fearefull shall they bee to the wicked and comfortable to the godly for when the signe of the Sonne of man shall appeare then all the wicked shall mourne weepe and cry out of their sinnes that they have not loved Christ but despised him have not obeyed his Lawes but contemned and set light by them therefore it will bee a fearefull time to the wicked but to the godly it shall bee great comfort for Christ telleth the Iewes Matth. 23. 29. Ye shall see me no more till that ye say Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord the very reprobate shall say these be the happy and blessed men howsoever wee have hated and despised them O that wee had lived as they did then wee should have beene happy too I have instanced often before in the example of Ioseph Gen. 45. 5. and because it is apt to the purpose I cannot passe it at this present for when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren thren they were abashed and ashamed because their conscience told him that they had betrayed and sold him for a slave before nay some of them would have killed him if they had loved him and used him well then it might have beene a comfort to them when he did discover himselfe and say I am your brother Ioseph so I say of Christ what a terrour will it be to the wicked and ungodly because they have despised and condemned him if they had used him well they might have had comfort at his appearing wee read likewise 2 Sam. 2. 22. when Asahel prest upon Abner Abner said to him depart from me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground how then shall I bee able to hold up my face to Ioab thy brother so when wee shall sinne and offend Christ how shall wee hold up our faces at that day So then we see it shall be a terrour to the wicked and to such as have not repented them of their sinnes but unto the godly Christs comming shall be greatly comfortable as Augustine saith we see in reason if two men should be beyond sea and their lord and master should send for them the one to bee honoured for his good service the other to be punished for his offences though it may bee they both come home in one sâ—ip eate at one table lye in one bed arrive at one haven and come to one place yet their thoughts would be diverse for the one would thinke now is the time that I shall bee honoured for my good service therefore it is a comfortable time to him the other would thinke now is the time that I shall be punished for my offences therefore it must be a time of discomfort to him this is the direct case betweene the godly and the wicked that they may eate at one table lye in one bed dye all one kinde of death and yet their thoughts bee divers for the godly they shall rejoyce when that time commeth because they shall bee honoured and advanced and it shall bee a terrour to the wicked because they shall be punished for their offences as Iohn 20. when Christ appeared to Mary being grieved and dejected for the losse of him and said Mary she turned about and said Rabboni Master as if shee should say I am glad that I have found thee Heaven and earth could not make her so glad as she was when she found Christ so when a Christian hath looked out at his windowes and doores to see Christ many a time and at last shall see him come in glory and breaking the clouds and comming to Iudgement he may say as Mary did Rabbâ—ni Master I am glad to have found thee so they may say O Lord Iesus art thou come Thou art Hee that I have longed for a long time and blessed be God that this day is come therefore seeing Christians are desirous of Christs comming this should teach them to prepare for it we see a loving wife in the absence of her husband when she lookes for his returne shee will trimme up her house garden and walkes to have all things handsome so wee that bee Christians when we heare that Christ will come we must trimme up our houses that is our hearts and our consciences and make all fit to entertaine Christ Having declared the signes that goe before and also such as joyne with the comming of Christ wee proceede to the next thing which is the manner of his comming and that is glorious attended on by Angels hee shall come in the greatest glory that Heaven and Earth can afford There is great difference betweene the first and the second comming of Christ His first comming was base and meane contemned and despised of all sorts of men and wee see how unkindly hee was used at the hands of men in that they condemned him the Souldiers set a crowne of Thornes on his head they did mocke at him buffet him and crucifie him and why Because hee was apparelled and clothed with our sins which may teach us that the noblest and greatest one that is if sinne be upon him it will disgrace and put him downe therefore as Christ did cast away sinne and did put it off and then entred into glory so wee must labour to doe as Christ did to put off sinne to kill it to make a grave for it and to bury it and then as Christ comes in glory so wee shall come in glory also But if we do not put off sin nor cast the filthy ragges of it from us Christ will come in glory and wee fall to shame disgrace and contempt Now in the manner of Christs comming to judgement we may observe three things 1. How he shall come in glory 2. Wherein this glory consists 3. What Benefit we shall have by it First how he shall come it shall be in glory as we have heard a little before so also it is said Matth. 16. 27. For the Sonne of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds and againe Luke 9. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Sonne of Man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glory and in the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels So then Christ shall come in all the glory that Heaven and Earth can afford and therefore it is manifest there is great difference betweene his first comming and his second comming For his first comming was in the estate of humilitie he was despised and rejected of men Hee was a man full of
the power of Christ The Scripture is plaine for it and when the Sonne of man commeth in his glory with all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit on the Throne of his glory and before him shall be gathered all Nations which hee shall separate as a shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates So Matth. 13. 24. The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdome all things that offeud and them that dqe iniquitie and verse 49. saith Christ So shall it be in the end of the World The Angels shall goe forth and sever the bad from amongst the Iust and Luke 17. 34. saith Christ I tell you in that night there shall bee two in a bed the one shall be received and the other shall be left Two women shall be grinding together at the Mill the one shall be taken and the other shall be left So then there shall be a separation in the neerest and dearest societie that may be even betweene the most neerest and dearest friends there they shall not cast out the bondwoman and her son onely but the husband shall be taken from the wife and the wife from the husband and the father from the sonne and the sonne from the father and one friend from another such a separation there shall bee of them that have dwelt in a house a long time together laid in one bed and sate at one table the one shall goe to Heaven and the other to Hell the one shall goe to joy the other to paine the one shall goe to God and his Angels the other to the Divell and the damned Hence we learne for our instruction these profitable and comfortable Vses Seeing there shall bee a separation of the most dearest and neerest societie at the day of judgement this therefore should teach us what the care of good couples and friends should be so to live together heere in Gods feare as that they may not bee parted at that day To this Saint Peter exhorts married couples 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise yee husbands dwell with them as men of knowledge giving honour unto the woman as to the weaker vessell even as they which are heires together of the grace of life that your prayers be not interrupted Here wee see the Apostle would have good couples live together as heires of the grace of life that so they may not be parted at the day of judgement for what a heavie parting shall there bee when the husband shall bee taken from the wife or the wife from the husband the father from the childe or the childe from the father or one friend from another when there shall bee a separation in the most deerest and neerest societie even of those that have laid in a bed together sate at a table and dwelt in a house together a long time O thinke of this beloved brethren what a heavie parting it will bee at that time when they which have lived twentie or thirty yeeres together must be separated Let husbands and wives fathers and children masters and servants and one friend with another all consider it and therefore let them endeavour so to live together in the feare of God heere as that they may not be parted at the day of judgement when this fearfull separation shall be We see Luke 13. 28. It is an aggravation of the griefe of the wicked that they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of GOD and they themselves thrust out a-doores but it will be a farre greater griefe to us when we shall not onely see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of GOD but our Husbands wives Childeren Friends and Neighbours and wee our selves shut out and never to come to them they to enjoy happinesse with God and the blessed Saints and Angels wee misery and everlasting torments with the Divels and damned reprobates Wee see what a sorrowfull separation there is when a wife buries her husband and commits him to the Grave to be devoured of the wormes she goes home weepes wails and takes on and yet they may meete together in Gods kingdome O but what a heavie parting will there bee when the one shall bee taken up into Heaven and the other shall be left to bee devoured in Hell where they shall never meete but shall be as farre asunder as Heaven and Hell as God and the Divell Therefore good brethren bee perswaded to thinke seriously of this heavy and dreadfull separation which will be at that day and let it bee the care of all good couples so to live together here in Gods feare as that they may not bee parted and separated at the day of judgement Secondly seeing there shall bee a separation at the day of judgement therefore the godly may comfort themselves with the hope of this howsoever they be troubled here with bad neighbors and wicked men that hate and persecute them yet at the day of judgement there shall bee a separation of the good from the bad and there shall not bee one wicked man left to trouble or annoy them It was Moses comfort Exod. 14. 13. saith he Feare ye not stand still and behold the salvation of the Lord which he will shew to you this day for the Egyptians whom ye have seene this day ye shall never see againe So the Lord will say to the godly stand still and behold the salvation of your God which hee will shew to you this day the wicked which ye now see ye shall never see them againe they shall not trouble nor molest you any more but shall bee throwne into Hell we have often heard that Iesus Christ shall come with a great key in his hand to locke up the Divell and all the damned in Hell and therefore wee neede not feare for there shall bee never a wicked man left to annoy or trouble Gods People Thirdly seeing there shall be a separation at the day of judgment therefore how should all the wicked of the world be affraid howsoever they dwell in the society of good people here in this world yet one day they shall dwell with the Devill and the damned here indeed in this World though they dwell not among the godly yet they may dwell among civill and sociable men such as will doe them no hurt for a world but at the day of judgment their case shall not be so good for they shall dwell with all the vile people and rascals murtherers theeves and all the scumme of the World Nay worse with the Devill and his Angels and therefore how afraid should a wicked man be to thinke of this Chrysostome saith well The very name of separation what a confusion is it to a wicked man for if saith he a King a Duke or a great man should picke one out of a great Company should imbrace him shew great kindnesse and favour to him and set him in his owne seate but should frowne on thee lowre
me So this is the Reason of the Assignement The Popish Church lay hold on these words and would prove thereby that their workes merit at the hands of God because Christ gives heaven to those that doe good to his servants and because they shall be judged by their workes To which I answer although this be the reason why the Lord assignes heaven to them that they did workes of mercy and although we shall be judged by our workes yet workes are not the meritorious cause of it why he gives us heaven but the signes and tokens who be the persons so qualified that shall have heaven such as love Christ and shew mercy to his needy members and doe good to them I will cleere it you by an example The King of England makes a promise to bestow on his subjects a great reward out of his bountie and there came before him his subjects and his enemies and he saith to his subjects I will bestow this gift on you for when I was in France ye did attend on me and shewed your love to mee â—ow this gift shewes who be the subjects of the King and who be the enemies So at the last day when the good and bad shall be before Christ and Christ shall tell them this is the reason why I bestow heaven on you because I was hungry and yee gave mee meat this is not the cause of it but it shewes onely who be the persons that God hath assigned heaven to to those that love him and regard him in his members therefore one sayes well Christ shewes not for what he bestowes heaven in this place but on what kinde of persons he will bestow it And Chrysostome saith though the Saints doe a thousand such things as these yet they deserve nothing at the hands of God it is his bountie to bestow heaven on them for so small and meane things as these So then we see workes are not the cause why Christ assignes heaven to us And there be foure grounds for it The first groundâ— is from the estate and condition we be in all are servants Therefore whatsoever we doe is but our dutie and if it be our duty we cannot merit any thing at the hand of God So saith Christ Luke 17. 10. When yee have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe Therefore the very estate and condition that wee are in doth shâ—w that wee cannot merit any thing at the hands of God And Chrysostome saith No man is able to shew such an holy conversation of life to deserve any thing at the hands of God but when he hath done all he is but an unprofitable servant The Papists reply against this and say That although a man cannot merit any thing being in the estate of a servant yet if of a servant hee become a friend hee may merit Now that hee may bee a friend it is plaine by the words of Christ Iohn 15. 15. Hence call I you no servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends and in the verse before Yee are my friends To this I answer we are servants still though it please God to accept of us as his friends we are only made friends by acceptance in the merit of Iesus Christ which alters not the former condition of duty and service as may be proved by these places Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne yee are made the servants of righteousnesse and in the 1 Pet. 2. 16. he exhorteth them As free and not using the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God And Christ saith Ioh. 15. 19. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you therefore because we be servants still and remaine in the same estate and condition wee cannot merit any thing but when wee have done all wee doe but our dutie The second ground is our owne impotencie that we are not able to doe any good thing of our selves much lesse can wee merit anything Now that we can doe no good thing it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am And 2 Cor. 3. 5. saith he Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God So Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dead even of his good pleasure Now then if all we doe is by the power of grace and if it is God onely which worketh both the will and the deed then we are beholding to God for it and God is not beholding to us Origen saith well No workes of man can deserve any thing at Gods hand because they cannot thinke any good or doe any good but it must be from God The Papists reply and say that God may give a man grace which he may so husband as that hee may deserve any thing at Gods hand and they make it plaine by this similitude A father gives a farme to his son and gives him a stocke now the sonne may so raise the stocke and play the good husband as he may purchase any thing that the father hath in like manner say they God may give a man grace and hee may so husband it as he may purchase any thing at Gods hand To this I answer If a father should give his sonne a farme and a stock to use and when he had done so his childe could not earne a penny but it must be the father and the son could not stirre a foot or a hand without the father then the father is not beholding to the sonne but the son to the father This is the case betweene God and us for when he gives us any grace he must give us a second grace to use and to imploy it wel and therefore it is manifest we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands it is the doctrine of the Schoole-men and Aquinas makes it plaine hee puts the question and resolves it saith he A man may receive a benefit from another and may deserve it at his hands as a man may give one an house which he may deserve but if a man when he hath given another an house must give him also power to use the house and wisdome to governe the same that man cannot be beholding to him that receives but the receiver must needs be beholding to him that gave it so although God give a man grace which he cannot use well unlesse he also give him power to use it Therefore God is not beholding to us for any thing but we are to God and therefore we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands The third ground is our imperfection that in every thing we doe we sinne against God and if we sinne against him then we cannot merit any
the true glasse of the Word of God there sinne will appeare in his true proportion and right quantitie But why is the neglect of doing good to his poore members so great a sinne I answere because in neglecting of them wee condemne Christ for they be the members of Christ and so Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 8. 12. Now when ye sinne against the bretheren and wound their consciences yee sinne against Christ the contempt of Christ is lapped up in the contempt of his servants It is a good thing therefore for a man to bee mercifull and pittifull especially to the poore Saints and people of God and to relieve them in their wants and necessities so farre forth as a man is able and occasion shall be offered Saint Iames tels us that there shall be judgement mercilesse to him that shewes no mercy and Matth. 3. It is said Blessed art the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie therefore it is a good thing for a man to shew mercie to the Saints and People of God and thus much of the reason Now we come to the last point and that is what shall become of Christ and what be shall doe when he bee hath finished up the last judgement This Saint Paul shewes us 1 Cor. 15. from the 24. verse to the 28. the sâ—mme whereof is this He shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all In which two things offer themselves to be observed 1. What he shall doe He shall render up his Kingdome to God 2. The End of it that God may be all in all First what â—e shall doe he shall render up the Kingdome to God Now this may be conceived two wayes First he shall render up the Kingdome that is all the Children of God the Elect and chosen hee shall bring them to God and deliver them to him that hee may blesse them and receive them into Heaven that he may be made partaker of all the glory that is prepared for them and he shall present them to God in the merits of his death and say Father these bee they that I have prayed for in the Mount swet in the Garden dyed for on the crosse and shed my most pretious blood for Therefore Father râ—â—eive them and blesse them hitherto have I kept them in thy Name thus hee shall render up the kingdome unto God when hee shall bring all the godly and holy people to the contemplation and beholding of the great glory prepared for them We heard out of Gen. 27. 3. how Ioseph tooke certaine of his brethren and did present them to Pharaoh so the true Ioseph Iesus Christ shall carry all the Elect and chosen people of God present them before him and desire him to receive them into glory and to bestow the best of Heaven upon them so Christ shall render up the Kingdome Wee read in Philemon when Onesimus had runne away from his master Saint Paul meets with him and sends him backe againe to his Master with a letter in his hand to the end his Master might receive him but Christ will doe much more for us hee will not onely send us with a letter in our hands to God but hee will take us by the hand and present us to God in the merits of his death that God may receive and blesse us Secondly he shall render up the kingdome that is his governement and office Now we cannot come to God without a Mediator all that we doe now is by meanes of a spokes-man but when Christ shall bring us home to God when we shall bee brought to Heaven then wee shall have recourse unto God without a spokes-man then we shall not need a Mediator and thus Christ shall render up the kingdome that is hee shall give up his office and his government into the hands of God A learned man thus expresseth it there is a number of Rebels that bee up in Armes against the king who makes his sonne Generall and sends him out to subdue the Rebels to shew mercy to those that would submit themselves to him and to execute and put to death them that would not which when the kings sonne hath done he returnes home againe to his father and tels him that he had done what hee was sent for and then renders up his Generalship to live with his father as he did before so God hath sent his Sonne here into the World to reconcile unto himselfe all his Elect people and to subdue his enemies when Christ hath performed this then he delivers up his office and lives with the Father as before Adam in the time of his innocency and Communion with God was without a Mediator so when wee are all brought home to God againe into Heaven then wee shall have communion with God without a Mediator Now because this is a hard point and that which some Divines stumble at therefore I will make it as plaine as I can A man that hath sore eyes he will have silke to hang before them or he must have a glasse to see by but when his eyes bee well hee will take away the glasse and lay aside his silkes so as long as wee were in our sinnes wee could not deale with God but wee must have our silkes it must bee by a Mediator but when our sinnes shall be healed then wee may lay aside our silkes and we shall see the face of God without a Mediator But here a question may be made some may may say How shall Christ render up the Kingdome seeing it is said Luk. 1. 33. that of his kingdome there shall be no end so Daniel 2. it is said His Kingdome shall not passe to another To this I answere His Kingdome shall continue still but not in the same forme the forme shall be altered for now he raignes as Man then as God now the glory of the Godhead is shadowed by the Manhood and then the glory of the Manhood shall be darkened by the Godhead not that the Manhood of Christ shall noâ— remaine or that the glory of it shall bee lesse than now but it shall be obscured as it were by a greater light I will make it plaine by a similitude light a candle in a darke night and it shines and giveth light but bring it into the bright Sunne-shine and the brightnesse and splendor of the Sunne darkens the light of the candle though it have the same light that it had before so though there bee the same glory in the Manhood of Christ that was before yet the glory and splendor of the Godhead shall so farre goe beyond the Manhood of Christs former manifestation as it shall darken that glory and thus much for the first point Secondly The End why he shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all Here God is not all in all for there are many excellencies in the World Angels
to have good seeds so if a man would have the H. Ghost hee must get the seed called by S. Peter the immortall seed of the word by the which wee are begotten againe It is a good thing to attend unto the word for howsoever wee doe not feele that which we doe desire yet let us heare it still and in due time wee shall have that which wee desire as Iohn 5. wee see the lame man lay by the Poole of Bethesda a long time when one or other did still intercept him and yet because he tarried still Christ came at length and did heale him so although we cannot finde the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire to day yet let us come the next day If wee cannot finde it then yet let us not give over and at last wee shall feele the blessing of God upon us as wee doe desire Secondly by Prayer for if wee pray to God hee will give us the Holy Ghost as it is Luk. 11. 13. If you that are evill can give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that aske it a man may sow seed in his field and it may perish the wormes may eate it and the birds devoure it or it may rot in the ground but prayer is seede sowne in the eares of God nay it goeth deeper it is sowne in the heart of God And therefore although our seede perish that is sowen in the field yet our prayer shall not perish because it is sowne in the hart of God Saith David All any teares are in thy botle are they not in thy Register Thirdly by repentance and reconciliation with God as Ioel 2 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne unto the Lord and weepe betweene the porch and the Atar And then saith the Lord I will powre out my Spirit upon you So that these bee the three meanes whereby wee may come by the Holy Ghost The second question is In what measure the Holy Ghost is given The answere whereto wee will lay downe in foure Conclusions First that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in regard of efficacy and operation to his servants in this life indeed the holy Spirit dwels in us because the Holy Ghost is God and therefore hee is undividable and cannot bee divided into parts but in regard of the efficacy operation or working of the Spirit hee giveth but a portion So no man living hath all the gifts and graces of the Spirit because God giveth but a portion of the Spirit and a measure of it according as hee sees fit and meete So 1 Cor. 12. 8. S. Paul saith That to one is given the Spirit of wisedome to another the Spirit of knowledge to another faith to another the gift of healing and all these things worketh the selfe same Spirit distributing to every man as hee willeth and so againe Ephes 4. 7. saith hee but unto us is grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ and 1 Cor. 13. 9. saith hee for wee know in part and prophecie in part and a little after for now wee see through a glasse darkly but then face to face now I know in part c. So the Doctrine is plaine that God giveth but a portion of the Spirit in this life according as hee sees fittest for man But let us come to the uses which follow First seeing that God giveth but a portion of the spirit in this life a man may have the spirit bee a true Christian and yet want many of the gifts and graces that another hath thou seest another man hath the gift of knowledge of wisedome memory or the gift of utterance be not perplexed at it looke that thou have the maine that thou have the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and sins and to quicken the to newnesse of life then all is wel with thee though thou have not al the graces of the Spirit yet thou may'st be a true Christian so S. Paul sheweth by a comparison taken from the members of our bodies Shall the foot say unto the body I am not of the body because I cannot gather and draw things to mee as the hand doth or shall the eare say because I cannot see my danger before it commeth neere me as the eye can therefore I am not of the body if all were handling where were going and if all were seeing where were hearing so that every member hath a severall gift Wilt thou say because thou hast not the great gifts which another man hath thou art no member of Christ or thou hast not the Spirit of God we see that every member hath a severall gift Augustine saith in his tract upon Iohn Peter cast out devils thou hast the same and yet thou canst not cast out any for all this thou art a member of the same body Peter was an eye and thou art a little toe or a little finger in the body of Christ better it is for a man to bee a toe or a little finger in the body of Christ or a little bone than to have all the excellent gifts of nature and perish therefore though a man have not those excellent gifts and graces that others have yet labour to have the maine labour to feele the Spirit of God to mortifie thy lusts and then thou may'st bee a true Christian notwithstanding all thy weakenesses Secondly seeing we have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will be a tang and a tast of the flesh as long as we live here in this world if there were fulnesse of Spirit in us then it would change all into Spirit as fire changeth all into the nature of fire so if wee had fulnesse of Spirit it would change all into Spirit but because wee have but a portion of the Spirit therefore there will bee a tang and taste of the flesh howsoever the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting consuming and weakening of it yet a man shall feele the power of sinne bustling and vexing him while he lives whereof all the holy men have complained as Rom. 7. 21. Paul saith hee findes by the Law that when hee would doe good evill is present with him and againe Gal. 5. 17. he saith The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh agaist the spirit and these are contrary me to the other so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would hence it is manifest wee have but a portion of the Spirit in this life and there will be still a tang and a taste of the old man in us If a man put wine into a glasse then there will be a taste of nothing but wine but if hee put water into it howsoever it may change the colour of the water yet there will be a tang and a tast of the water even so if wee were all
desired to die the death of the righteous and secondly Matth. 19. 16. of the young man that came to Christ and said unto him Master what shall I doe to be saved so a man may have a desire to be saved and to be in heaven and happinesse and yet want the spirit of God Here therefore as before so now let us see what the defect is I answer it is in three things First It is a fleeting desire not constant and setled Balaam had a good desire but it was but in a mood or a fit he desired hee might die the death of the righteous and it was but once that he did so that we reade of and that also when hee saw the glory of the Saints this is the first defect that their desires are but for a fit Secondly they were idle desires they desired heaven but were loth to take any paines as it is said of the Sluggard Prov. 13. 4. The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought though hee desire such and such things yet he goes without them because he would not take pains for them therefore we must see that our desires be such as will put us upon any paines and labour so we may be saved Thirdly Such have not earnest desires but those that every little matter will put over we see if a childe askes the brest or meat the mother sometimes will give him a booke into his hand when this quiets the childe it shewes that it was but a flight desire that the childe had for if it had beene an earnest desire nothing would quiet the childe till it had the brest or some meat So it is with many men they desire to be saved and to have heaven and then the devill puts as it were a booke into their hands matter of pleasure and profit which quiets them this shewes that their desires were but slight for if they had beene earnest nothing would content them till they had had the thing that they desired And thus much of the false markes SERMON LVI ROMANS 8. 9. But yee are not in the flesh but in the Spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ hee is none of his NOw the point of inquiry is how a man may know whether the Spirit of God and the Spirit grace be in him or no because it is the Spirit of God that seales our redemption as Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 30. and all our hope of heaven hangs on the Spirit therefore it will be very necessary and profitable for every man to know what be the true markes and signes of the holy Ghost his being in us And this we may discover by considering it two wayes 1. Generally 2. Particularly First Wheresoever the holy Ghost is in what man soever he makes a sensible and a through change and alters him in his will affections and in every part as Matth. 8. Christ saith unto the Centurion If I come I will heale thy servant I will not be idle and doe nothing but if I come I will heale him so if the holy Ghost come into a man hee will not be idle but hee will heale him of his sinnes and make a sensible and a through change in him in all parts So Iohn 3. 7. Christ shewes that no man can enter into the kingdome of heaven unlesse there be a second birth of the holy Ghost in him and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Paul saith that every one that is in Christ must be a new creature So then there must be a second birth of the Spirit people must become new men and women It is a ground in nature that the generation of one thing is the corruption of another as Ice when it turnes to water there is corruption of the Ice so when Christ turned water into wine there was corruption of the water even so it is in the worke of the Spirit as there is encrease of holinesse wrought in a man so there is a decrease of sinne and corruption Wee see in the Gospell that those that were brought to Christ who lay and wanted their feet went away with them such as were blinde went away with their eyes opened such as were deafe and dumbe went away speaking and hearing and such as were dead went away alive so when the Spirit of God comes into a man though hee were lame and not able to walke in the wayes of God yet that will inable him if he were blinde and ignorant that will open his understanding and give him heavenly knowledge if he were dead in sinnes that will put the life of grace and holines into him thus the holy Ghost will make a through change therefore every man must labour to see whether this change be wrought in him or no as 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. it is said that no theeves covetous persons drunkards railers nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God and such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God Here was a change indeed wrought in these men So also 1 Tim. 1. 13. Saint Paul saith Before I was a blasphemer and a persecuter and an oppressour but I was received to mercy because I did it ignorantly now I thanke God it is otherwise with me when a man can feele this change and alteration in him that he can say indeed I have beene a bad liver I have beene a swearer and a lyar and a drunkard but now Lord I thanke thee it is otherwise with me I am changed and altered this is a good evidence that the holy Ghost is in him but if a man be not changed and altered but remaines the same man that ever he was the holy Ghost is not in him for where the holy Ghost is there he makes a sensible and a through change Secondly If the Spirit of God come into a man it will stirre and move a man to good things as Act. 2. when the Spirit of God came downe upon the Apostles in firy tongues they began to speake with new tongues the holy Ghost did worke in their hearts and on their tongues so Gal. 4. 6. saith the Apostle God hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts which crieth Abba Father even so if a man hath the Spirit of God in him it will stirre him to repentance and to the duties of prayer and holinesse therefore we are to consider no man can have the Spirit of God but he shall feele movings and stirrings of the Spirit for as it is in the naturall life that there cannot be life in us but it will be seene by breathing or panting stirring or moving there will be operations of life so it is in the life of grace there cannot be the Spirit of God in a man but there
as occasion shall be offered to doe them good it is the Holy Ghost that doth put it in us as Paul saith Galath 4. 6. he hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts whereby wee cry Abba Father Hence wee see it is the Spirit of God that stirres us up to the duties of prayer and holinesse The fourth benefit is To give us power and ability to performe Christian duties and services for the Spirit of God doth not onely open our hearts to understand the Scripture excite and stirre us up to good duties but doth also enable us to doe them to repent of our sinnes to pray to God to love our brethren to rest and relye on God in the time of trouble In the story of Sampson we see that he did shake himselfe and did thinke to have done great maters yet for his life he could not because his strength was gone in like manner when wee see other men can pray repent of their sins when thou canst not doe so know it is the Holy Ghost that doth inable thee for there be a number of Christian duties that we are no more able in the estate of nature to doe than a dead man can remove a mountaine as when a man is truely humbled for sinne and cast downe that a naturall man should looke up to God by the eyes of faith to rest and to rely on him for the saving of his soule this hee is no more able to doe than a dead man to remove a mountaine so likewise for a man to resist a temptation agreeable to his nature he is no more able to doe it than a dead man to remoove a mountaine againe when a man is in want and in need then to rest and rely on God for the feeding of his body that as he hath trusted God with the saving of his soule so hee will rely on God for things needfull a naturall man is no more able to doe this than a dead man to remove a mountaine but the Spirit of God inables a man to doe that for that which is impossible to nature is made possible by the Spirit of God The fift benefit is to comfort in distresse although a Man wants house or land and a number of outward comforts yet if hee have the Holy Ghost to comfort and assist him hee neede not care for any thing else Therefore Christ saith to his Disciples I will send you a Comforter in the World ye shall have trouble but he shall mitigate and asswage all your troubles So Acts 9. 31. it is said Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea Galile and Samaria and were edified walking in the feare of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed Therefore whatsoever our trouble is yet it is a great stay that we shall have comfort in the Holy Ghost and not be driven to take up the complaint which David doth in the Person of Christ I looked for some to have pittie on mee but there was none and for comfort but I found none for though it be true of Christians that in their trouble they looke for some to pitty and comfort them but they finde none yet neverthelesse in their extremity the Holy Ghost doth comfort them therefore if men want comfort in the time of trouble what shall they doe send for fidlers and merry company to comfort them as Saul did and fall into relapses no but wee must labour to get the Holy Ghost to comfort us for the comfort of the Holy Ghost goes beyond all worldly comforts First because all worldly comforts may be taken from us let it bee in our goods or friends or whatsoever else these comforts may faile us because the ground of them is not good wee may be taken from them and they from us but the comfort of the Holy Ghost can never be taken from us because it is grounded on Gods Love and favour and hope of Heaven therefore the Divell and all the World shall never be able to take away this comfort Secondly because all the comforts in this life be not pure and intire comforts but have alwayes some sorrowes in them as wee see Hest 5. when Haman had all the glory that Ahashuerosh could afford him yet he was not at quiet because Mordecai sate at the kings gate the cup of our comfort here in this world is a mixed cup like to Christs cup mingled with wine and Myrrh much bitternesse so all our worldly comfort is mixed with gall But the comfort that we have by the Holy Ghost is pure and intire it comforts us in all the distresses that befall us It made Paul and Silas sing in Prison Acts 16. It made the Apostles goe away rejoycing that they had suffered rebuke for the Name of Christ Thirdly because all worldly comfort failes and leaves us at the day of death when the more comfort we have had by it the more griefe it will bee to part from it Therefore Christ saith Luk. 12. to the rich man Thou foole this night shall thy soule be pulled away from thee but the comfort of the Holy Ghost is most beneficiall and refreshing at the day of death because then we draw neere to the accomplishment of Gods promises as Paul saith 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight and have finished my course I have kept the faith from henceforth is laid up for mee the Crowne of righteousnesse which the righteous Iudge shall give at that day hence we conclude all worldly comfort is not comparale to it And here I thinke there is none but will assent with me to pray to God to give us the Holy Ghost as David prayes Psal 4. That God would lift up the light of his countenance upon him howsoever others desire other things let us pray to God though wee want many outward comforts yet that wee may have the holy Ghost to comfort us Now there are three speciall times that the Holy Ghost doth comfort in 1. In trouble and affliction 2. In the distresse of Conscience 3. In the day of death The Holy Ghost doth comfort us in trouble and affliction three wayes First by perswading us that God is our Father and that he will not leave us but will stand by us in the time of our trouble as Psal 23. 4. David saith Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death yet I will feare no evill for thou art with me So Psal 27. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid this is one meanes whereby the Holy Ghost doth comfort therefore if a man have the holy Ghost he neede not care because that will comfort and uphold him in all the trouble that doth befall him Secondly by turning all things to our good as Rom. 8.
calling that a man can take in hand that he is able to perform till he be fitted for it by the holy Ghost There is a common complaint amongst men in regard of their servants and many disorders the reason of it is because men want the holy Ghost for if men had the holy spirit he would make a supply of our wants and amend all disorders The generall Vse that wee are to make of this doctrine is that men pray for this blessing of the holy Ghost when Elias was taken into Heaven from Elisha saith Elias to him What shall I doe for thee unto whom Elisha said I pray thee that thy Spirit may be doubled upon me And so Christ going to Heaven saith what shall I doe for thee our request must be that his Spirit may bee doubled upon us to comfort us in any distresse but specially in the great distresse of conscience at the time of death and that it may inable us to performe the speciall calling that wee bee now set to performe and live by SERMON LVIII 1 THESS 5. 19 20. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying HAving spoken of the benefits that wee have by the Holy Ghost in the next place wee are to consider whether we may lose the Holy Ghost or the grace that is once given us of God worldly blessings a man may lose he may lose riches favour of friends his lands and life his skinne and teeth he may lose his riches as Salomon saith that riches have wings like an Eagle hee may lose favour of friends as Iob 5. 15. Christ saith to the rich man Luke 12. This night will I come and take away thy soule and so of all other worldly blessings but if a man have once the Holy Ghost given him hee shall never lose the same therefore to have his comforts is a greater blessing than all worldly blessings whatsoever as Ioh. 14. Christ saith I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter another manner of Comforter than I am For I must leave the world and goe home to my Father I cannot tarry with you but this Comforter shall tarry and abide with you to end and shall not leave you till you are brought home to God therefore above all blessings let us desire this blessing and pray to God for it Now for the better clearing of this wee will lay downe these three conclusions The first conclusion is that nature is ready to quench and to expell the Spirit as much as may be I meane corrupt nature as it is tainted and corrupted with sinne and hereof we have two grounds The first is in that two contrary things comming together doe labour to destroy each other as fire and water the one being hot and the other cold doe make opposition so the Spirit and our nature are two contraries flat opposites one to another as the Apostle saith Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so as yee cannot doe what yee would so because they bee flat opposites one against another therefore they labour to destroy and seeke the overthrow one of another as much as may be so Rom. 7. we may see how the Spirit and the flesh bustle one with another for saith hee I delight in the law of God concerning the inner man But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading mee captive unto the law of sinne which is in my members here is the flesh labouring to subdue and weaken the Spirit The second ground is that nature seekes to returne and to recover nature as much as may be as it is the nature of a stone to lye below in a low place therefore if ye take a stone and lay it on a shelfe it will abide as long as the shelfe holds it but take away the shelfe and the stone fals downe againe because it is the nature of it to lye below in like manner also it is the nature of many fowles to live in the water therefore as sonne as they be hatched almost they will runne into the water even so though Grace restraine nature for a little time yet it doth labour to returne againe as much as may be therefore Psal 88. 11. David prayes knit my heart unto thy Law so prone and apt was hee though a man after Gods owne heart to bee carried away from God to corruption and to slippe from him that hee prayes to God to uphold him and Paul exhorts Christians in this place that they doe not quench the Spirit the Spirit may be quenched but take heed that you doe not quench it Now because the Spirit is compared to fire therefore looke how many wayes a man may quench fire so many wayes a man may quench the Spirit First by with drawing the matter that should nourish the fire when men doe not bring fewell to nourish the fire the fire will quench and goe out therefore the Priests in the Law were commanded to bring fresh wood every morning and evening Levit. 5. 12. so the Spirit of God will quench in us if we withdraw that which should nourish it if wee doe not heare the Word preached pray and read the Scripture and conferre of good things for the Apostle joynes these two together quench not the Spirit despise not prophesying meaning when men despise prophesying they take the course to quench the Spirit and to decay it Secondly by powring on of cold water this will quench and put out the fire so the contrary motions of the Spirit will quench the Spirit for every sinne wee commit is as a bucket of water flung on the Spirit to quench and to put it out Iudg. 16. wee see that Sampson through loosenesse and wantonnesse keeping company with Delilah the Spirit of God was decaied in him and his strength for hee shooke himselfe and thought to have done as he did at other times but could not thus Sampson did quench the Spirit of God in him by his bad life so our sinnes being contrary motions to the Spirit doe quench the Spirit Thirdly by smothering out the fire for although a man doth not withdraw the matter that should nourish the fire or powre cold water on to quench it yet a man may quench fire by heaping on of earth and mold yea even the bare weight and burthen of greene wood will smother out the fire after the same manner though a man doth not withdraw himselfe from the use of good meanes nor doth commit grosse sinnes yet overmuch care for the World and the things of this life will quench the Spirit of God when a man spends all his time about his worldly businesse and hath no time to serve God this is a great meanes to quench the spirit Christ tels us Matth. 13. 22. that the thornes choake the good
the societie of the faithfull there is not one onely Angell that descended but God himselfe comes down by his grace and holy Spirit to blesse us and to make his word profitable to us therefore here we are to waite and to attend for this speciall blessing of God Fourthly because Christ raigneth onely in the Church of God all the rest of the world is under the power of the Divell and sinne so Mich. 4. 7. it is said there the Lord shall raigne over them in mount Sion for ever and ever as also Luk. 1. 33. and hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his Kingdome there shall bee no end that is of the Militant Church therefore because Christ raigneth in the Church of God the Divell taking all the rest as his own this is the fourth reason why there is no salvation without the Church Thus much for the Doctrine The uses are First seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of Christ therefore wee should bee thankfull to God that hee hath made us members of it for wee might else have perished in ignorance and blindnesse this hath beene the practice of Gods Children in former ages for Gen. 9. 27. It was all the blessing that Noah gave to his Sonne Iapheth for his goodnesse in covering of the nakednesse of his Father saith hee God perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem and Ioseph become a great man in the Kingdome of Pharoah might have made his Sonnes great men also but hee had more care to adopt them into the true Church of God and to have Gods blessing powred out upon them than to make them great men in the Kingdome of Pharoah as wee may reade Gen. 43. 13. in like manner Hebr. 12. 24. it is said that Moses by faith when hee was come to age refused to bee called the Sonne of Pharoahs daughter and chose rather to suffer adversitie with the People of God whatsoever Moses did when hee was a Childe yet when hee comes to discretion hee refused to bee called the Sonne of Pharoahs Daughter and had raâ—her live in the Communion of the faithfull than bee called in the princely honours of the unfaithfull Therefore seeing it is such a great blessing to live in the societie of the faithfull wee ought to bee thankfull to God that hee hath brought us out of the belly of Poperie as Ionas was delivered out of the belly of the whale It is a pittifull thing to see a number of men live in the Church of God who doe not partake of the power of it they live in the Church as fishes in the Sea which although they breed live and dye in the Sea yet never taste of the saltnesse of it so there bee a number of men that are bred in the Church live and dye in it yet never tast of the power of it in their soules and consciences nor partake of the holy graces of it Therefore hath God brought thee to the Communion of the Church Labour to partake of the blessings and graces of it to grow in the feare of God in the love of our brethren in obedience to his commandements in care to please him in faith in repentance in knowledge in zeale of his glorie and so our comfort shall bee great at the day of judgement but if thou doe not grow in these things great shall thy terrour bee at that time Secondly seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of God therefore we should hold communion with it and not suffer our selves to bee drawne from the societie of it as Iohn 6. 68. When many slipped away Peter himselfe could say when Christ said to him Will you all goe saith hee Master whither shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life so when wee see others to goe out of the societie of the Church and to bee drawne away let us say whither shall wee goe here are the words of eternall life here are the meanes to get Faith and repentance here are the meanes of salvation life everlasting Iohn 9. When there was a question made whether Iesus was of God or no the blind man answers as if hee should say is it not a strange thing that ye aske me whether he be of God or no and yet yee have seene the power of God in his person for wee read there these words whether hee bee a sinner or no I cannot tell but one thing I know that I was blâ—nd and now I see so men must bee wise to answer temptations when some shall say to them your Ministers are not the ministers of Christ there is a fault in their Ordinations Wee must answer againe I know not whether there bee any fault in their Ordination or no but this I know that once I was a swearer a bad person and a vile liver indeed I once lived in blindnesse and ignorance but by their ministery now I am come to see my sinnes bee humbled for them and to lay hold on Iesus Christ Therefore whatsoever thou thinke my beleefe is they bee the ministers of Christ Historians report that there is a certaine beast called an Hyena like a Wolfe that comes to the shepheards house and there mones and bewayles himselfe and if hee heares any body named hee calls them out of doores and then falls on them and makes a prey of them so a number of such Hyena's there bee in the world who come and mone and bewayle themselves when they heare their names they call them out of the doores that is out of the Church then they fall upon them and make a prey on them Therefore wee should bee wise to hold the Communion of the Church Thirdly seeing there is no salvation but in the true Church of God therefore the sentence of excommunication is the fearfullest sentence that is other sentences condemnes us in our bodies goods or our libertie but this declares us to bee of the Communion of the ungodly by other sentences wee are committed to the Iayle but by this censure we are committed to Sathan as 1 Cor. 5. 5. saith hee when yee bee gathered together and my Spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ that such an one bee delivered unto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Therefore this sentence is the fearfullest that can passe on a man But here I will speake my conscience it is a pittifull thing that such a censure should bee used for every light and pettie matter there is never a surgeon that dare cut off the least finger of the King though it were diseased but would use all meanes that might be before hee did it so there is never a poore Christian but is as deare to God as a King or the greatest Potentate that is and therefore what great caution should there bee used before this censure of excommunication be pronounced against any man but wee have now cause
will prove that they cannot be true Catholikes First because alwayes the true Catholikes have taught that divine worship is to be given to God onely and to no creature else as Christ saith Matth. 4. to the devill thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve so likewise Revel 22. Iohn fell downe to worship the Angell but the Angell said unto him See that in no wise thou dost it for I am thy fellow servant and Saint Ierome saith that we Christians doe not worship any creature neither Angell nor Archangell but God onely now because they teach that we should worship stockes and stones and the workes of mens hands therefore they are no true Catholikes Secondly because true Catholikes teach that there is but one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ only according to the Apostle For there is but one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus so Heb. 13. 15. saith he Let us therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwayes to God so Origen also we Christians offer up all our prayers to God by the meanes of Christ but the Papists teach that there are a number of Mediators and that we may pray to the Virgin Mary to Peter and Paul therefore they are no true Catholikes Thirdly because the true Catholike Church hath taught for sixteene hundred yeeres together that men should not equivocate should not speake one thing and thinke another but should speake the truth from their hearts as Ephe. 4. 25. saith the Apostle Wherefore cast off lying and speake the Truth every man to his neighbour so Psalm 15. Hee that speaketh he truth in his heart is one of them that shall inhabite Gods holy hill therefore we cannot say one thing and meane another for the oath is according to him that taketh the oath and not according to the minde of him that sweareth but the Papists teach that a man may equivocate sweare one thing and meane another and therefore they are not true Catholikes Now the use of this is seeing in this world is the true Catholike Church and the meanes of Grace let it be our wisedome to lay hold on the good meanes that is set before us before wee remove hence I have shewed you heretofore if a man should send his servant into the Indies with a ship to fill with gold and there might have it but fils it with rubbish stones and gravell when this servant comes home hee may looke for a cold welcome home so the Lord hath sent us into this world as it were into the Indies with a ship with our soules and bodies and into the Church of God there we may have gold to fill our shippes with that is the graces of his Spirit therefore if wee shall fill our shippes with rubbish gravell or dirt that is with sinnes and corruptions we may looke for a cold welcome home for in the Church of God there are the springs and fountaines of grace therefore why doe wee not apply our selves to fill shippes with the purest gold to get faith repentance prayer and all the graces of the Spirit that so we may have comfort at our returne to God SERMON LXVIII 1 IOHN 1. 3. That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ HAving spoken of the Church in the next place wee are to speake of the speciall benefits and blessings that God doth bestow on it for the Church is Gods peculiar and chosen people that hee hath drawne out of this world therefore it pleaseth him to bestow greater blessings and more speciall favours on them than on all other societies and assemblies whatsoever It is true indeed that there be common blessings that hee bestowes upon others as it is said Psal 119. 69. that the earth is full of thy goodnesse O Lord and so Matth. 5. 45. For hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust these common blessings all the people of the world partake of O but there are a peculiar blessings and favours that belong to none but to Gods servants wherein none of the wicked have their parts and therefore as David saith Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee c. the prophet doth not say positively much goodnesse is laid up for them that feare God but makes a question and saith how much goodnesse and so Psalm 147. ult hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements so there bee speciall favours and blessings that none of the world have part in for howsoever the wicked of the world may have common blessings as riches favour amongst men wisedome and learning and bee enabled to mainetaine Arts and Sciences yet notwithstanding there are speciall blessings that none of the wicked have their parts in that doe belong to his children onely to enjoy by the meanes of Faith so Genes 17. 18 22. Abraham prayeth to God that Ismael might live in his sight the Lord told him that he had heard him concerning Ismael and that he would make a great nation of him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac even so now God blesseth the wicked in this world hee maketh great men of them and rich gives them wisedome children and such like but his covenant he doth establish with Isaac his speciall blessings and favours hee bestowes on none but his owne children to be enjoyed by Faith Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth so and it is not unprofitable for a man to consider of them First because the godly may see what a goodly and rich portion the Lord hath appointed for them that so if any wayes either through the falsehood of the devill or other provocations they bee pulled out from the enjoying thereof they may labour to recover it againe knowing no where to have better entertainement than in the house of their father this it was that brought home the Prodigall sonne to his fathers house when he considered the happy estate of those that lived therein that they had bread and bread enough and not onely the sonnes but the servants and such as were hired but for a day even the meanest of them so when Christians shall consider the rich and happy estate of all the people of God what a deale of comfort and joy they have in the house of God that they are comfortable in their life and blessed at their death when they sleepe in the dust and when they shall be raised up to glory that is no small allurement for them to returne againe unto the house of God so we see Hos 2. 7. it is there
his opinion Ephes 4. 13. Till wee all come in the unitie of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Now by a generall consent the Fathers doe expound it otherwise Chrysostome saith that by the fulnesse of the age of Christ in this place is not meant the full age of Christ but the Gifts and Graces of Christ So another Father affirmes that by a perfect man in Christ is not meant the temporall age of the Sonne of God so S. Ierome saith of the same place that by the age of Christ is not meant the grounds of the bodies of the Godly but the inward man the gifts and graces of his Spirit of his soule and not of his body Secondly Tertullian is of another judgement saith hee let Christians remember this that our soules shall receive the same bodies from the which they departed and therefore looke in what stature and in what age and yeeres wee were of in the same wee shall rise againe Thirdly Augustine doth much relie on his own opinion for saith hee every age is capable of blessednesse and therfore I doe not purpose to contend of strive to know in what age wee shall rise in Fourthly there are some reasons to prove the contrarie First that there is nothing in a Child more than in a man to hinder them from the Kingdome of God for Christ saith Suffer little Children to come unto mee and forbid them not for unto such belong the Kingdome of God And therefore seeing there is nothing in a Child that may hinder him from the Kingdome of God why may not Children rise Children againe A Child may bee blessed for if a Childe could not have beene blessed what shall wee say if Adam had had Children in the time of innocencie should they not have beene blessed most certainly they should Now if Adams Children should have beene blessed in the time of innocencie much more shall Children bee blessed in Heaven Secondly Children may perfectly performe the chiefest act that the people of God are to doe in Heaven namely to praise God as wee see Psal. 8. Out of the mouthes of Babes and sucklings hast thou ordained praise Thirdly all those Christ raised in this life were raised in the same age and stature that they were in when they died as the Maide the widdowes Sonne and Lazarus and those that were raised at the Resurrection of Christ or else how should they been knowen to their friends againe so perfectly Now against this there is one Objection of some weight to bee answered A Child is not in an estate of perfection and there is no imperfect thing shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven To this I answer that a Child is imperfect onely in regard of labour and travell but not imperfect for the life of glorie and a spirituall life and therefore it must bee our wisedome and care to spend our time well in the feare of God in repentance for our sinnes and to get faith in Christ and then let our age sex or estate of our body bee what it will wee shall bee blessed and happy when wee dye and wee shall rise to a glorious estate It is a good saying of Chrysostome if a grave senatours should bring thee into his house and shew thee a number of grave senatour sitting on Thornes richly clothed with chaines of gold about their necks and crowns on their heads and should tell thee that after a few dayes hee would bring thee thither and make thee one of them how carefull wouldest thou bee to please him and fearefull to offend him in any thing This saith hee is our case Iesus Christ hath shewed us by the eye of faith Heaven and the blessed estate and condition of the godly and hath promised to bring us thither after a few yeares if wee will repent our sinnes get faith in Christ and walke holily before him therefore how carefull should wee bee not to offend him what fooles are men to lose eternall things for earthly for if men would live holily here they should live eternall in the life to come Thus at last wee are come to speake of Everlasting life for the Lord doth raise the dead out of the grave and out of the dennes of death to give them everlasting life and this is that which Christ hath promised to his people as we see Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voice they follow mee and I give them everlasting life and Iohn 6. 47. saith Christ Verely verely I say unto you hee that beleeveth in mee hath everlasting life so also Psal 21. 4. saith the Prophet Hee asked life of thee and thou gavest it him even length of dayes for ever and ever So then everlasting life is the great blessing that hee hath promised to his people that none partake of but they it being the Center of a Christian mans desires all whose labours paines and endevours tend to this and no further for as wee know things when they bee at the center there they rest stay and goe no further so if once the people of God come at this there they stay and goe no farther with thoughts hereof they comfort themselves in the troubles and afflictions of this life Genes 28. 11. Iacob being wearie in his journey tooke stones and layd them under his head and slept where hee saw an heavenly vision a ladder carried up to heaven and Angels ascending and descending thereupon which comforted him in all his troubles and labours so Christians must comfort themselves in all the afflictions and travels of this life with this that Christ hath reared up a Ladder in his death and blood-shed that reacheth unto heaven therefore if Christians will bee contented to walke Christianly and holily here but a few dayes and yeeres hee will bring them to everlasting life I but some may say why doe yee speake of everlasting life now seeing every man is busie to get some thing to maintaine this life I answer a man doth well to bee busied in his honest labours to get some thing to maintaine this life because as wee shall heare afterwards this life is the way to eternall life and the seede time of a Christian But ô how miserable a thing is it for a man to provide for this life and neglect eternall life and therefore our care must bee to provide for this life so as it may further us to everlasting life In the Law the people of Israel were commanded to keepe the feast of reconciliation which was in the end of the yeere when harvest was done and their barnes and wine-presses full which was to teach us that in the middest of our joy and plentie wee should seeke for eternall life and should labour to have the pardon of our sinnes and to reconcile our selves to God so to bee fitted for eternall life
hinder a man from Christ 121. * How a strong Christian weakned by sinne may know whether the holy Ghost bee in him or no. 505. Christians of all men most happy because Christ is their Lord. 99. ¶ Good is to be done to Christians as they are Christians 461. †What the Church of God is 525. The Church Triumphant Militant 520. 530. No member of the Triumphant that is not of the Militant Church 530. The great blessing it is to be a member of the Church 566. ¶ Wee must beleeve a not in the Church 523. ¶ The Church a mixed company of good and bad 537. How the Church is one 534. The diverse estates of the Church here in this world 534. The Church sometimes hidden 535. ¶ The Church power at one time than another 537. Of cleaving to the Church 537. ¶ The blessings that proceed from the peace of the Church 536. ¶ The dignities of the Church 539. The Church as the Citie of God excels all other cities in foure respects 539. The Church the Body of Christ 542. * Christ Loveth Indoweth Adorneth Acquitteth Bringeth home Glorifieth the Church his Spouse 544. Vniversality a property of the Church 574. The Church the pillar and ground of truth 549. The Church preserves the Letters Canon Authority of the Scripture 550. Holinesse a property of the Church 569. Iudgement of the world mixture of good and bad remainder of sinne seeme to take away the holinesse of the Church 569. The Church said to bee Holy by 1. Faith and good conversation 2. Impâ—tation of Christs righteousnesse 3. Inherent holinesse in the true members 4. Having the means of holinesse 570. Reasons why there is no salvation without the Church 565. ¶ The Church Betâ—lehem thither we must goe to finde Christ 126. * All things tend to the good of the Church as crosse wheeles in a clocke 88. ¶ The come unto me in glory depends on the come unto me in grace 446. ¶ Christ comes to a man when things bee at the worst 115. ¶ The comfort of the Holy Ghost excels all other comforts 511. To appropriate Christs merit a great comfort 124. †Two times to commend our soules to God In danger every day 258. 3. grounds of coÌ„mending our selves to God because hee is the Father of Spirits our Father in Christ hath afforded us former favours 258. Why Christ gives signes of his comming 402. God communicates his wisdome c. to us we our griefes to him 583. Christ communicates to us Himselfe right of his death merit Power of Spirituall life Dignity of his owne estate 584 We communicate to Christ our Nature Sinnes Troubles and dangers 383. Christ communicates his graces to his Church 341. Of the communion of the Saints 579. By the communion of Saints a Christian hath a thousand helps 597. ¶ The communion of Saints consists in communion with God with Christ one with another 582 Foure lets of the communion of saints 605. The communion one with another consists in the commmuion of the 1. Living with the living 587 c. 2. Living and the Dead in wishing well to conversing with one another 598 3. Dead with the dead in 1. Lying together in the Grave 2. Being members of Christ 3. Being gathered to the Saints departed 599. The communion of the living with the living stands in community of Affection 587. Graces 588. Spirituall sacrifices ibid. Temporall blessings 590. Bearing one with another 594. The communitie of goods is limited in the Excesse Defect 592. Communions of the wicked 579. Christs company a great comfort 243. †Christs complaint on the crosse 168. Christ conceived of the flesh of the Virgin 105. †by the power of the holy Ghost how 106. Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost that he might be pure and without sin 107. †The stirre that was at Christs conception 108. * Of the condemnation of Christ 197. Conscience compared to a Booke wherein all things are written 207. ¶ To sin against conscience a fearefull thing 205. †207. †The property of a good conscience to be moved at Gods judgements 206. ¶ Bad consciences troubled at Christs comming 132. ¶ Wicked mens consciences may be sealed for a time but one day they shall be opened 184. ¶ No flying from an evill conscience 205. ¶ An evill conscience the worst accuser 207. ¶ A Christian though contemn'd in his life is honoured in his grave 278. ¶ Constancie in a good course requisite thogh without successe 199. * Of the conviction at the last day 437. Conversion makes men labour to draw others to the same estate 238. * Confession of sinne Cleering the Iustice of God Zeale for the honour of God a signe of conversion 238. No man knowes the instant of his conversion 305. No cost to be spared for Christ 280. ¶ Covetousnesse moved Iudas to betray Christ 181. †The workes of the Creation not to be lookt on but with due consideration 65. ¶ The Author Substance Manner Subject Estate Time Order End of the Creation c. 64. The motion multitude of the Creatures prove a Deitie 43. ¶ The Creature not God cause of sinne and defect 67. †We ought not to abuse the Creatures seeing God made them 65. Wee ought to pray for restauration to the creatures 68. * Christ died the death of the Crosse because it was most Accursed Shamefull Painefull Apparent 211. Christs behaviour on the Crosse 224. The seven last words of Christ on the Crosse 224. c. The scandall of the Crosse weakens faith 321. Christs Disciples must bee carriers of the Crosse 214. ¶ No man must make a Crosse to himselfe but bee contented if God lay it on him 214. ¶ All Crosses must be borne ibid. The place where Christ was crucified 215. Why Christ was crucified aloft 213. * How Christ was led to be crucified 213. What torments are expressed in the word crucified 219. ¶ Vses from Christs crucifying 220. c. Five falsehoods in Popish crucifixes 223. Christs Cup what it is 160. * Sinne brings Gods curse upon 〈◊〉 467. * D ALL needlesse dangers are carefully to be shunned 338. †Whether the darkenesse of the Sunne at Christs passion was all the world over 165. †The horrid darknesse of wicked men at the last day 165. ¶ The holy Ghost illuminates as a window in a darke house 509. Dead bodies members of Christ having communion with him 600. Incertainty of death should stirre us up to conscionable walking 237. †At the day of death most care is to bee had of our soules 238. ¶ 257. ¶ 258. * Death but a departing 143. * The good change a Christian makes by death 242. ¶ The greatest extremitie befals Christians at the time of their deaths 169. ¶ We ought to prepare for death 179. †Christs Death 261. Voluntarie 265. The manifestation thereof 266. The Power thereof 269. ¶ The fruits of Christs Death are to us freedome from the Eternall Death Seing of Death Curse of Death Power of
from the hand of a loving Father 5 We should part with any thing to give unto Christ Iudg. 14. Vse 2. Comfort First our dignity to be the Sons of God Secondly That God will be a Father to us Thirdly that God will give us a heavenly inheritance Fourthly All Gods chastisements shall turne to the best Simile Simile Mercie in the â—iddest of wrath Simile 5 Why God is said to bee Almighty Quest Ans. Simile Simile God is said to be Almighty foure waies First because he is able to doe whatsoever hee will Secondly because hee is able to doe whatsoever in Nature is possible Thirdly because the whole fulnesse of Power is in God Fourthly because all the power of the creatures is in God Simile Simile None can hurt us but by power from God given Simile Object Ans What thing God cannot doe because they imply weaknesse in one SER. VI. Secondly God cannot make the Creature God Simile Thirdly God cannot doe any thing which i plyeth Contradiction Vse 1. Men must stoop and bow before him Secondly to labour to make him our friend and bee in his favour Thirdly above all things sinne not against him Iob 31. 23. Fourthly in all extremities trust in him Rom. 8. 38. Vse 2. First that our salvation is in his hand Secondly wee shall bee safe under his protection Thirdly that all his promises shall bee fulfilled in due time Fourthly that he is powerfull to destroy our adversaries The more power there is in God the more should be our comfort Simile First God made heaven and earth Vse 1. Since God made the world hee is to be praised for the comforts in the same Simile Vse 2. Not to displease him who made all since hee is able to destroy all Simile Vse 3. Since God did make all he is able to dispose all at his owne pleasure The second point God made heaven and earth Vse 1. Since God made all not to wrong God with them Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile The third point how God made all The third point how God made all Vse 1. Vse 2. The fourth point what he made all of Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Fiftly in what estate God made the world Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Sixthly in what time God made all Dan. 2. 16. Quest Sol. 1 2 Simile Simile Seventhly in what order all things were made Quest. sol Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. SER. VII Eighthly all was made for mans benefit Simile ARTIC II. First Hee is Iesus Simile Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile First whom he shall save Secondly boâ— Christ saves his people Simile Christs letter to the Father Guilt of Sinne what Triall Simile Secondly that there is no Iesus but our Iesus 1 2 3 4 5 Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile 3 Thirdly that hee will be our Iesus Iob 19. Simile Quest. Sol. The second Branch is that Jesus iâ— that Christ Act. 2. 36. First what is meant by Anointing First Assignation to the worke of Redemption Act. 2. 36. Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Act. 2. 37. The second worke of Anointing was to shew sufficiencie for the worke Iudg. 16. 3. The third use of Anointing was acceptation of all he dealt with Secondly with what he was anointed The Graces of the Spirit comparted to Oyle First Oyle softens 1 Sam. 19. 23. Secondly Oyle makes cheerefull Act. 16. 25. Thirdly with what he was Anointed Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. 1 3 Fourthly to what end Christ was anointed First Christ is a Prophet Iohn 4. Simile Vse Christ teacheth by the Word and Sacraments Cantic 5. 2. Secondly Christ was a Priest Simile Simile The foure Kingly Duties of Christ 1 Col. 1. 13. Simile The second Kingly Duty Matth. 27. 26. The third Kingly Duty Simile SER. VIII The fourth Kingly Duty Vse 1. Vse 2. The fruit and benefit of Christs Anointing Simile Quest Sol. The third title is that Jesus is the Sonne of God Simile Ioh. 149. Simile Foure Arguments that Christ is God 1 Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Arg. 4. Act. 7. 59. Why Christ onely must Redeeme us 1 2 3 Secondly Christ is the Onely Sonne of God Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Heb. 1. 1. Vse 4. Vse 5. Simile Simile First Lord of all the world First having all Power under Him Secondly having all things serving Him Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Secondly that He is our Lord. Foure wayes Christ is Lord of the Church First by Creation Secondly by Redemption Thirdly by free gift Fourthly by voluntary service Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Vse 5. Simile Simile Vse 6. Simile Vse 7. Simile The first Degree of Christs Humiliation Simile SER. IX Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile First How farre Christ tooke mans nature The first conclusion The second conclusion Simile Quest. sol 1 2 3 4 Secondly why Christ was made man 1 2 3 Thirdly the ends why Christ tooke mans nature 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Simile 4 Simile 5 Fourthly the manner how hee tooke flesh First of what he was Conceived Simile Simile 2 Secondly by what power He was conceived Quest Sol. 1 How Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost Simile 2 3 Simile Object Sol. Simile First of whom Christ is borne Three reasons why Christ was borne of a Virgin Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. First what stocke the Virgin Mary came of Secondly her estate Foure reasons why Christ was borne of such meane Parentage The first Reason of Christs low birth Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 4. SERM. X. First there is a fulnesse of time to fulfill Gods promises Vse 1. Vse 2. Secondly the fulnesse of time is comming Simile Thirdly God sent his Sonne in the fulnesse of time The first perticular time when Herod was king Christ was borne at the lowest ebb of the Jewish estate The second particular time The first cause The second cause Simile Thirdly the place of Christs birth Quest Sol. Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. Fourthly the manner of Christs birth Object Ans Vse 1. Vse 2. Secondly hee was borne meanely Foure Reasons of Christs meane Birth 1 2 Simile 3 4 Simile First unto whom Christ was manifested Three Reasons why Christ was first knowne to the meaner sort 2 Simile 3 Simile Object Sol. Simile Secondly in what disposition the shepheards were found Iudg. 6. 11. Calvin Dominus cum venit inveniet melbar antem Thirdly by whom Christs Birth was manifested Fourthly the time of the manifestation SER. XI The first effect Simile Simile Reason 1. Reason 2. The second effect made hast Simile The third effect they published all Simile The fourth effect they returned to their callings Two Reasons of Christs manifestation Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Secondly the place whence they came Two reasons why the wisemen came so farre to Christ 1 2 Luk. 11. 31. Simile Object sol Simile Thirdly the place whither they went Simile
making of the world and filling it even so the Lord is many dayes in furnishing the soule of man with graces though grace bee but weake at first in us yet it shall be perfect in time therefore the graces of God are compared to a seede that is but little at the first and not to a stone for a stone groweth not but a seede albeit it bee little at the beginning yet it will grow greater No man therefore ought to bee discouraged at small beginnings of grace for although they bee little at first yet they shall bee perfect in time And although things depend on the power of nature yet they doe much more depend on the power of God for before the Lord made the Sunne and Moone and the starres he made the trees to bud and hearbs to grow where nature was wanting his power was assistant Psal 78. 19. say the children of Israel Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse they looked not to the power of God so likewise of Moses who was a good man Numb 20. 11. it is said Hee stroke the rocke twice hee looked to the power of nature but the power of God is beyond the power of nature when the power of nature faileth yet the power of God is able to doe anything and therefore wee see Abraham beleeved God when the power of nature failed Rom. 4. Hee considered not the deadnesse of his owne body which was almost an hundred yeers old nor the deadnes of Sarahs womb neither doubted he of the promise of God through unbeleefe but was strengthened in the faith and gave glory to God being fully assured that he that had promised was able to performe it so thou that art a Christian never doubt but that God is able to raise thee out of thy sins or out of the grave and to give thee life for things depend not so much on the power of nature but much more on the power of God Seventhly the order first hee made the heavens and then the earth as we see Gen. 1. And therefore where God beginnes his worke first there a Christian must beginne his care to seeke for heaven our Saviour saith Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred unto you so that where God beginnes his worke there a Christian must beginne his care to make heaven sure to himselfe which when hee hath done hee may the better looke for these earthly things it is a corruption that men seeke for these earthly things first and never seek for heavenly till they be sick or come to dye Secondly in the order that God made the world wee may observe that God made all the creatures before he made man hee was the last some man may say Why was He the last that was made I answere there be three reasons of it 1. It was to honour man 2. To teach him 3. To further him in the best things First it was to honour man for it was a great honour to man that God did not bring him into a bare and naked world but that hee had first furnished it with all things needefull for mans use and delight Even as a king when he is purposed to goe to a towne or place his provision goeth before all is furnished and made ready before hee comes which makes for the honour of the King so God had made all for mans use and had furnished the world with them before he made man This serves for the honour of man and therefore seeing God hath honoured man let us labour to honour him againe Secondly to teach man that hee was not the maker of them for if all the creatures were made before man was made he being the last and there found them all before this is a plaine evidence that man made them not and therefore if there be any creature that is comfortable or delightfull to us God is to be thanked and praised for it not our selves Thirdly to further man in the best things for the Lord provided all things for the use of man to delight him that he might take the more time to provide for heavenly things for the richer a man is and the more plentifull the Lord hath provided for Him the better heart and encouragement hee may take to looke after the things of eternall life and the greater vantage hee hath in the worship and service of God Therefore when as God doth give a man riches and furnish him with all things needefull for his life he should not misspend them neither in wantonnesse or prophanenesse in swilling or drinking and such like but he should take the more time for things of eternal life as Deu. 10. 12. And now O Israel what doth the Lord require at thy hands but to feare the Lord thy God and to walke in all his waies and to love him and to serve him with all thy heart and with all thy soule when they had filled their barnes and houses with corne and other fruites of the earth saith the Lord And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare him and to walke in all his wayes so when God hath filled our barnes with corne and hath made a supply of things needefull then the Lord lookes we should love feare and serve him for if we will not serve the Lord for his blessings we shall serve our enemies in want so we see in Deut. 28. 47. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and with a good heart for the abundance of all things Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Lord thy God shall send upon thee in hunger and in thirst and in nakednesse c. Eighthly the end why God made this world and all things It was for mans good and mans benefit It was to do good to mankinde that God made Heaven and earth the Sunne Moone and starres that hee made all the creatures And whereas God was most blessed in himselfe before there was a Heaven or earth and needed not to have beene grieved with our sinnes yet notwithstanding Hee was not content to bee blessed in himselfe and to keepe it but hee would communicate his goodnesse and his blessednesse to his creatures and draw man into communion with him and therefore wee should bee ashamed to grieve God with our sinnes seeing hee powreth out his goodnesse and his blessings unto us dayly SERM. VII MATTH 1. 21. And thou shalt call his Name Jesus c. THe faith of a Christian is like the Fishes in a pond that as long as there is water in it so long they tarry but if the water goe out of the Pond then the Fishes goe with it so is the faith of a Christian God the Father hee is the fountaine of the Deity therefore as long as the Deity remained in the Fountaine so long our faith was there but when