hee calleth him Holie for as hee loued him so hee reuerenced him Holinesse craueth reuerence And that holie God what reuerence ought hee to haue Hee should not bee named nor thought on but with reuerence of the heart Then hee sayeth And keepe them in thy Name that is by thy diuine power This worde riseth on a confidence of a wonderfull power in the Father that hee was able to defende and keepe them in none other Name but in his owne Nowe looke the disposition of the heart of Iesus Christ In praying the heart is disposed with a wonderfull reuerence and loue to his Father And Brethren I count this argument of all the argumentes that yee haue hearde howbeit they were verie manie mightie and strong this same disposition of the heart I say to bee one of the most forciblest to mooue the Father The inwarde disposition of the heart of the Lord Iesus in loue and reuerence is moste forcible to mooue the Father to keepe his Disciples Looke in prayer to the disposition of thine heart for when wee praye to God what do we all argumentes Wherefore auaileth it to heape on argumentes to mooue God if thou hast no good disposition in thine heart in prayer Wherefore vsest thou wordes when thou hast an vnbelieuing heart and when thou hast no loue nor reuerence nor no confidence in God And then againe when the heart of man or woman is well disposed in praying with an holie affection to God in Iesus Christ with a reuerence and with a confidence in him then fewe wordes and fewe argumentes will serue It is better to haue fewe wordes in praying with loue and faith and with an holie disposition than to praye all the daye without the inwarde disposition James sayeth Chap. 5. vers 16. The prayer of a faithfull man auaileth much if it bee seruent He sayeth not If hee vse manie reasons or wordes but if hee haue a zeale to the glorie of God in prayer then it is acceptable This is knowne by experience they who knowe the disposition of the heart they will account more of it than of all the worlde So yee see this disposition in the heart of Iesus Christ is the chiefe argument to mooue the Father hee had no sinne in him his heart was cleane and his loue was perfect without anie mixture of hatred or anie other sinfull infirmitie All our affection our loue and our confidence is full of sinne and all is troubled in our heartes and if wee gette anie libertie it is but small Alace this is the foulenesse of our soule but well is that soule that getteth anie loue or anie confidence or anie reuerence c. Nowe to come to the affection to them for whome the Lord prayeth J praye euen for them whome thou hast giuen mee No question when hee sayeth Whome thou hast giuen mee hee taketh them into his heart hee imbraceth them into the affection of the heart the affection gripeth to them when as hee calleth them his No if the Lord Iesus call thee his hee will take thee into his heart and his affection will gripe thee Nowe certainelie as the affection to his Father was a great argument in the sight of the Father so when wee praye to God for others the affection towardes others is a great argument to mooue God And as wee respect the one hauing a zeale and an affection to God so wee should respect the other hauing true loue towardes others Looke that thine heart hate not the person of him for whome thou prayest otherwayes thou scornest God in thy prayer and when thou prayest for anie looke that thou loue that person for the loue of God and the loue of the person for whome thou prayest is aye joyned together If thou louest not the person for whome thou prayest it is sure thou louest not God Farder it is to bee considered heere that since the beginning of this prayer this argument is oft repeated Them whome thou hast giuen mee This is the thirde time that it is repeated The first is in these wordes J haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest mee out of the worlde And then I praye not for the worlde but for them whome thou hast giuen mee And againe Holie Father keepe them in thy Name euen them whome thou hast giuen mee c. Hee hath not so often repeated anie other argument as this They are thy Chosen they are called by the preaching of the Gospel but hee hath doubled and tripled this argument there is some grounde of this this must bee the moste speciall thing that mooued the LORD to praye for his Disciples because they were giuen to him and the Father had concredited them vnto him and put them into his handes And therefore hee letteth it neuer goe out of his heart that the Father had giuen them vnto him Father sayeth hee thou hast giuen them vnto mee therefore Father keepe them There is not a faythfull man or woman but if GOD will concredite anie to their care and protection the moste speciall thing that will mooue them to haue a care of them is That GOD hath concredited them vnto them Therefore they will praye vnto GOD for them And euen by the contrarie they who haue not a respect to them who are concredited vnto them for this cause that GOD hath put such persons into their handes to prouide for them that person sayeth the Apostle Paul is worse than an Infidell That person who hath gotten a Familie to care for and neglecteth it is worse than an Infidell So this shoulde mooue vs to care for others because the LORD hath concredited them vnto vs And in the daye of Iudgement it shall bee asked at thee Where is the care that thou hadst of them whome I concredited vnto thy charge And then terrible shall it bee for them who haue neglected those whome the LORD hath giuen vnto them As hee vseth this argument to mooue the Father so the Father must haue a care on that which hee hath giuen to CHRIST And that person that will take care of their Familie or of the Kirke or Common-wealth the LORD shall meete him and haue a care ouer him So that whosoeuer hath gotten the charge of soules or of Families or of Common-wealthes they shoulde haue a care ouer them for let bee that it is vngodlie not to bee carefull it is an vnnaturall thing Woe to the men that will runne out and drinke and leaue their Familie and runne and rashe and fill themselues and haue no care of them whom GOD hath put vnder their handes Woe to them that runne and leaue their Kirke Woe to that man that hath no care ouer them that GOD hath concredited vnto his charge Hee sayeth That they may bee one as wee are one Keepe them that they may bee like vs. No all our blessednesse is to bee like the Father the Sonne and that Holie Spirite Wherein standeth it It standeth in an vnitie to wit
of loue in the worlde as this Nowe to come to Iesus Christ The Lord Iesus died not for his friends he had neuer a friend in the world till he died and by his death he purchased friends No man euer loued the Lord Iesus but by vertue of his death Looke the fift Chap. to the Rom. vers 8. This commendeth his loue that hee died for vs sinners and enemies to him There was neuer such a loue as the loue of Christ to man who suffered so shamefull a death in the body and so great anguish in conscience Indeede all men will say in worde that that loue was wonderfull but all the difficultie is to feele in the heart the greatnesse of the loue of Christ and to apprehende it Except there be some sense in the heart the heart is but sicke and euill disposed And therefore this was a point of Pauls prayer for the Ephesians Chap. 3. vers 18.19 Hee prayeth for them on his knees to God that the Ephesians being rooted and grounded in loue might be able to comprehend with all the Saincts what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Sainctes and what is the breadth what is the length what is the infinitnesse of the loue of Christ that yee may knowe the loue of Christ which passeth all vnderstanding There is no saluation without that sense no peace no rest no joy for of all things vnder the Heauen wee should seeke to feele it the most and saye Lord as thou hast loued mee so let mee feele it If thou wouldest feele this loue get an assurance that the Lord hath died for thee when thou wast a sinner for therevpon shall rise such a sense in thy heart as thou neuer felt before First feele that thou wast condemned to die vnder sinne and the law then get an assurance that hee died for thee and shed his blood that thou mightest bee free That sinfull woman who washed the Lordes feet with her teares and dried them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and anointed them with oyntment was filled with the sense of the loue of Iesus Christ Except the loue of Iesus Christ had loosed the heart of her shee had not had one teare Shee was a great sinner and hee sayeth Because much is forgiuen her shee loueth me the better Luke 7. vers 47. The moe sinnes that are forgiuen a sinner when be getteth this sense that Christ died for him he wil loue him the better Rom. 5. vers 5. Paul sayeth The loue of God in Christ is shed out into the heart ere euer that loue be shed out the blood of Christ must bee shed out and the heart must gripe to his death and bee washen with his blood and bathed in it and when the sinner feeleth that then floweth that sweetnesse of his loue and there is a mutuall loue betwixt the heart of the sinner and Iesus Christ and the sinner will feele such an exceeding loue that he will defie all the world as Paul sayth Rom. 8. vers 35. The Disciples might haue said We see thou doest for thy friendes and shewest a great loue to thy friends are we thy friends The Lord meeteth this Yee are my friendes but vnder this condition If ye loue mee and doe my will ye are my friendes Surely when wee heare such conditions as these That the Lord hath laide downe his soule for his friends we should search to know if we be of that number and should say to our hearts I see the Lord hath died for his friendes am I one of the friendes of Iesus Christ There is no life without his death and he died for none but for his friends and euery one of you who heareth me this day should trie your selues if yee bee the friendes of the Lord Yee shall knowe it by this if yee bee his friends ye shall not be fectlesse What serueth a fectlesse profession for in the mouth whē the heart is contrarious What serueth sucha a friend for as is a friend in the mouth a foe in the heart Look if thou hast an heart bent to doe his will take heede to thy tong and to the motions of thine heart that they bee sanctified and if thy tong be soule and thine hand be bathed with murder if thou seest this thine heart will testifie to thee that thou hast nothing to doe with Christ the loue of Christ hath nothing adoe with thee but that carcage of thine and that soule of thine shall bee dragged to Hell if thou abide in that estate But if thou finde in some measure a delite to pleasure him who hath pleasured thee died for thee Fie on him who will not striue to pleasure him If thou find in some measure good actions fall out of thine hand then thou mayest haue a good conscience and the heart will get a piece of that rest and peace which passeth all vnderstanding When a creature seeth that hee hath beene doing nothing all day but euill sleepe as thou wilt and wake as thou wilt thou hast the curse of God vpon thee Blessed is the man who hath good workes for they are tokens vnto him that hee is sealed vp in the blood of Christ Wee must not gather out of this place that because we were friends to Iesus therefore hee died for vs for by the contrary because hee died for vs therefore he made vs his friends Hee had neuer a friend till by his death hee acquired them And if thou finde the force of his death in thee thou must bee his friende and must preasse to pleasure him To whome with the Father and Holy Spirite bee all prayse honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. XV. VERS 15.16.17.18 15 Hencefoorth call J you not seruantes for the seruant knoweth not what his Master doeth but J haue called you friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you 16 Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you that yee goe and bring foorth fruit and that your fruit remaine that whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my Name hee may giue it you 17 These thinges command J you that yee loue one another 18 If the world hate you yee know that it hated mee before you HItherto in this Chapter Beloued in the Lord Iesus wee haue heard of sundrie exhortations which the Lord being to depart out of this world giueth to his Disciples who are to abide in this world behind him First hee exhorteth them to abide in that vnion with him Then hee exhorteth them to good workes Therefore hee commeth to the groundes of all good workes There are two groundes The first is the loue of God the next the loue of man Therefore hee exhorteth them first to the loue of God next to the loue of man He setteth downe his
so long as he liueth Amongst all the Armour he saith Euer pray with all manner of prayer There cannot be a standing without there be a continuance in prayer night and day There is nothing more requisite if thou wouldest doe well than to continue in prayer for why all grace is in Heauen except wee gette grace drawne out of Heauen from God wee cannot doe any good turne and the only way to draw grace from Christ for hee is full of grace is first to belieue in him and to bee grounded on him then next with open mouth and heart to pray in his Name to the Father centainly Heauē earth shal go together ere thou want grace ere God deny thee thy prayer al shal be turned vpside down thou shalt get that grace he thinks meet for thee in this life and Heauen at length In the next verse as before he hath enarmed his Disciples whom hee was to send out to the world with a piece of armour to wit prayer so here he enarms them with another I command you to loue euery one another How needful it is that euery man woman who would do wel should haue loue Paul 1. Cor. 13. shews Let a man do all the things in the world yea giue his body to be burnt if there be no loue in the heart alauailes not But chiefly to come to a Minister of all men it is most requisite that a Minister haue loue in his hart otherways all is nothing all his language preaching auailes nought if the heart haue not a loue of the saluation of man and woman So the thing he regardeth is that loue be in their heart Yee knowe what a loue Paul had he had so great a loue to the safety of his kinsmen that he would haue wished to be Anathema for them looke what a loue he vttereth 2. Cor. 6. vers 11. he saith O Corinthians our mouth is open to you our heart is made large yee are not kept straite in vs but yee are kept straite in your owne bowels So there are manie graces required in a Minister but chiefelie loue and if hee haue no loue hee will not care by howe manie perishe Yet farder they should not onelie haue loue to their people but also Pastors should haue mutuall loue amongst themselues they shoulde haue vnitie of heart goe where they will There is nothing that serueth more for making vp of that bodie of CHRIST than the sweete agreeing of the Labourers when they agree the worke of the Lord goeth forward as workemen when they worke together in one vnion the worke goeth forwarde And a man who carrieth enuie in his heart hee shall neuer preach Christ truelie but hypocriticallie Paul in the first Chapter to the Philippians vers 15. hee speaketh of two sortes of Preachers Some saith he preach to increase mine affliction some of loue Then he saith What then yet CHRIST is preached all maner of wayes whether it be vnder a pretence or sincerely and I therein joy yea will joy He speaks this in his bands So whosoeuer hath contention against his fellow-labourer preach as they will preach they make the Gospel a cloake to couer their malice and hypocrisie Vpon the other part they onely who haue intiere loue to their fellow-labourers teach Christ sincerely Wee see the Apostles when they make mention of their fellow-labourers howe honourably they stile them what great affection they vtter vnto them as Paul when hee speaketh of Timothie Titu◠and others Now I goe forward If the world hate you yee know that it hated mee before you This is the third part of the Chapter wherein he comforteth them against the hatred and persecution of the world and so hee warneth them to goe out after his departure I knowe well enough the world will hate you Then he comforteth them with his example Haue they not hated mee before you There is the ground The seruant is not greater than his Master The Lord Iesus is worth all the Apostles and Ministers that euer were Shall the seruant start and runne when he is hated seeing the great hatred and malice the Lord suffered No man in the worlde suffered so great persecution as the Lord and so patiently And had it not beene that the Lord Iesus tooke on that euill thou shouldest haue suffered more than the hatred of the world that is the very wrath of God So to moue them to patience hee layeth downe his owne example as before he proponed his example to loue God to keep his Commandements and loue their neighbour So hee commendeth neuer a thing to them without his owne example There is nothing that the Lord will bid thee doe but hee will let thee see that same first done by him Hee setteth himselfe before vs as a patterne And as concerning this patience in suffering it is needefull that this example of Iesus Christ bee euer before the eyes of any that woulde suffer for it is against our nature to suffer anie waye Yea it is so needefull that there was neuer a man or woman who suffered if they had not had that suffering of Iesus before them that could suffer patiently The example of all the patience in the worlde will not cause one to suffer patiently except thou get a sense of that suffering for faith in Christ Iesus is the ground of all well doing Iesus Christ must be in thine heart ere there bee any good vertue in thine heart for it is faith in Christ Iesus that reformeth the heart Except wee haue him in the heart there is no good in it Therefore Paul when he recommendeth any vertue vnto vs hee vseth to set before vs the example of Christ as a moste forcible argument as when hee exhorteth vs to modestie hee saieth Let the same minde bee in you which was in Iesus Christ Philip. Chap. 2. verse 5. And when hee commendeth patience in bearing the infirmities of weake brethren hee bringeth his example For Christ also saieth hee would not please himselfe Rom. Chap. 15. vers 3. Then if thou wouldest haue loue or meeknesse or anie vertue into thine heart haue the Lord into thine heart and cast thine eye vpon him In one word belieue in Iesus Christ and getting a sight of him thou shalt finde a sweete change of thy nature then thou shalt bee an holie liuer and a patient sufferer and thou shalt growe in all good vertue and that through Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the Spirit of Trueth bee all praise honour and glorie foreuermore AMEN THE TWELFTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xv VERS 19.20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 19 Jf yee were of the world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you 20 Remember the word that I saide vnto you The seruant is not greater than his Master if they haue persecuted mee they will persecute
gaue some to be his Apostles some to be Euangelists some to be Pastors and some to be Doctors The ground of all is this The Father hath giuen all power in Heauen and in Earth to the Sonne Thou shouldest vnderstand this well What is the Sonne of God He is the Treasure-house of all the grace and mercy of the Father Whosoeuer would haue grace and mercy from the Father let him addresse himselfe vnto him for in him is the fulnesse of all grace and passing knowledge and wisedome in him is the deepnesse and fulnesse of the Godhead bodily as Paul sayth to the Coloss Chap. 2. vers 9. and all grace immediately is powred out from him on the Kirke Let him that would haue any grace addresse himselfe to the Sonne and desire him that the Father would giue some portion of grace out of that Treasure-house Iesus Christ If thou passest by him thou shalt neuer taste of grace Seeke grace where there is fulnesse of all grace in the world The thing which I marke of this argument is this shortly To mooue his Father to sanctifie his Disciples he vseth this argument Father I send them out to the world Now ye see the Lesson that riseth Whosoeuer commeth to the world to draw this world out of that pollution and filthinesse wherein it lieth to sanctifie the world and to make this world holy of an vncleane world to make it cleane of necessity hee must bee sanctified Alace Brethren an vnfaithfull and vnholy man let him bee a Minister as for Apostles we haue none not separated from the world but in all things like the world is vnmeet to preach and to be an Instrument or Minister of God to sanctifie the wicked worlde or to win soules to Heauen An vnholy man and in no measure separated from the world but in life and conuersation like the worlde in all vanity let him not open his mouth to speake of Christ There is not one that the Lord Iesus sendeth but in some measure hee will make them holy and therefore that man that liueth like this worlde and hath his conuersation in all pointes like the worlde I say and I assure thee the Lord neuer sent that man So if a Minister would haue a good conscience in his calling and would goe out to the worlde to draw men to Heauen let him try himselfe if he be separated from the world or no And if hee finde that hee is separated from the world then with the better conscience hee may speake of Iesus Christ and then hee may put out his hand to miserable men and draw them piece and piece out of this sinful world otherwayes he can haue no boldnesse Nowe let vs come to the seconde argument The seconde argument which hee vseth is from the ende of his sanctification For their sakes I haue sanctifie my selfe To what end That they may be sanctified through thy trueth I haue sanctified my self that is I haue consecrated my selfe to the death to bee a Sacrifice that by my death and thorow it they should be made holy and that by the ministerie of the Crosse The ground of all our sanctification is the Crosse and death of Iesus Christ It is that blood and that Sacrifice that maketh vs holy and which is that meritorious cause that hath procured holinesse to euerie one of vs. Well Brethren as little as men will count of holinesse our holinesse is deare bought there is not one that hath a sponke of holinesse little or much but it is bought by the precious blood of the immaculate Lambe it is the dearest Merchandize that euer was bought in the worlde So the ground of holinesse is the blood of God But I say againe except that the Crosse of Christ and his blood and his death and Sacrifice be made thine and applied to thee and apprehended to thee and except so to speake it the Crosse of Iesus Christ bee in thine heart and thy conscience sprinkled with his blood the Crosse of Iesus shall neuer doe thee good to make thee holy Now yee see the meane and instrument whereby the death of Christ is made ours It is the worde of Christ euen the worde of the Crosse This same Gospel of Iesus Christ wherein the Lord in a manner is crucified and painted out to thine eye that is the meane which applyeth to thy soule that death that it may bee effectuall in thee to sanctification and holinesse of life It will not bee Christ and his Crosse without thee that will sanctifie thee except thou belieue in him and by fayth drawe Christ and his blood into thine heart thou mayest well bee worse and the Crosse of Christ may condemne thee but thou shalt neuer bee the better of him But if thou belieuest this worde of the Crosse and so make Iesus Christ and his Crosse thine by fayth then the blood of Iesus Christ shall gushe out to thy sanctification It cannot bee ydle but it must sanctifie and separate thee from the worlde and make thee an Heire of Life Looke howe yee should haue a sight of the Crosse of Christ thinke it not enough that Christ suffered and died for sinners except when thou hearest this worde of the Crosse thine heart griedilie gripe and drawe Christ in to thy selfe and this aye should bee our exercise in the hearing of the word of the Crosse of Iesus Christ to get such a solide apprehension of the Crosse that thou mayest say The Lord Iesus died for me the greatest sinner in the world Look that thou find the effect and fruit to flow of that Crosse to the sanctification of thy soule mortification slaughter of thy sinfull nature day night So heare not with the eares only but with the apprehension of the heart or els that Crosse shal neuer be effectual to saue thee but for all this benefit of the word of the Crosse of Iesus Christ euerlasting death and damnation shall be thine ende Bee not secure in hearing but drawe in to thy selfe Iesus Christ and there shall followe such a joye and consolation that all the tongues of men nor Angels cannot expresse there is no pleasure comparable to that pleasure which the heart of a faythfull man will finde Now hitherto hee hath prayed for himselfe first That the Father would glorifie him and next for his Disciples eleuen in number for Iudas hath no part of that Prayer Now last he extendeth his Prayer farder out beyonde all the Apostles to the whole faythfull that shall belieue in him to the ende of the worlde And this is the third part of this Prayer a Prayer for the whole faythfull that should belieue in him to the ende of the worlde But to come to the wordes Not for them onelie that is Not for my Disciples alone doe I pray But J praye also for all them that shall belieue in me through their Worde And vvhat prayeth hee for them That they may bee made vp in one bodie joyned with
which is righteous and good but it is a righteous thing to the Father to loue them who know him and belieue in Iesus Christ that the Father shoulde meete fayth in Christ with loue it is a just thing So considering this hee stileth him Righteous and Iust Father Marke it Brethren Looke what thing thou wouldest haue GOD doing vnto thee and what worke thou wouldest haue him working acknowledge him to bee such in nature qualitie and condition as is the thing that thou askest of him by thy prayer Wouldest thou haue him doing anie worke of power Then in asking stile him according therevnto and call him GOD Omnipotent Wouldest thou haue him working a worke of wisedome Then when thou askest that of him stile him according therevnto and call him Onelie wise GOD as DANIEL seeking a Reuelation and seeking out the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST sayeth To thee appertaineth Power O GOD and Wisedome If thou wouldest haue a worke of mercie done apprehende him in his mercie and call him Mercifull GOD and saye O moste mercifull GOD giue mee mercie And wouldest thou haue him doing a worke of Iustice Then looke that thou knowe him to bee a moste just GOD and giue him a stile conforme therevnto and say O moste just GOD and so foorth For Brethren except the heart of man in prayer when he seeketh anie worke of GOD as a worke of power or a worke of mercie or a worke of wisedome or of justice c. except I saye the heart of him that prayeth take the apprehension of the nature of GOD that hee is mercifull that hee is Almightie and that hee is just and wise and so foorth except this apprehension of his nature be in thine heart thy prayer can haue none effect Howe canst thou seeke him to worke a worke of mercie or of wisedome and hast none assurance that hee is mercifull or wise So the first thing in prayer that wee should striue to is euer to haue a knowledge and confidence of thy GOD and of his essentiall properties otherwayes the heart shall not bee assured thou mayest well pray for the fashion except first of all thine heart and minde conceiue him in his nature to bee a mercifull just and powerfull GOD. And therefore the thing in the worlde that is moste requisite is to knowe GOD so farre as this little heart and minde can conceiue and gripe that infinite Majestie It is needfull for thee to knowe that glorious Majestie in those essentiall properties in his Mercie Iustice and so foorth and to knowe him in all those thinges in Iesus Christ for all the knowledge of GODS nature and of his properties without Iesus Christ shall neuer auaile So the thing which we should seeke is to know our GOD in Iesus Christ This for the stile Now to goe forward hee commeth to the setting out first of his knowledge of the Father and then of the knowledge of the Disciples that they had of the Father and of the Sonne But before he speaketh anie thing of these knowledges he setteth down that misknowledge and that wilful obstinate ignorance of the world The world hath not knowne thee Alace that there should be such a multitude in the world in such darke ignorance of so bright and glorious a Majestie that shineth in the worlde in that glorious worde and yet they haue no sight of him Wouldest thou eschewe this ignorance and gette a sight of thy sinne For the miserable world howbeit the Sunne of Righteousnesse be shining into it it seeth him not neither can it gette any apprehension of him Striue to get thine eyes opened to see that glory wherein standeth thy saluation No saluation to thee without that sight of Iesus Christ if thine eyes abide close and see him not they shall neuer bee opened but shall remaine close euerlastingly and neuer a sight shall doe thee good to thy joy but that sight Now he setteth downe this wilfull ignorance of the world and setteth it before the Father to the ende the Father should account the more of them that knewe him considering that so many misknewe him for yee knowe the Prouerbe Quod rarum charum That thing which is rare is deare That thing that fewe hath it is precious the rarer fayth is in the world the more precious the fewer they bee that are faythfull the more precious and the dearer are they in the sight of God I tell it againe The fewer that the number bee which truely belieueth in Iesus Christ the more precious are they and the dearer in the sight of God The dearest thing in the sight of God is a faythfull man or woman in the worlde and therefore Brethren this is a false conclusion of the Aduersaries The multitude with the Pope and his Clergie the Kinges and the Princes of the world imbrace not your Religion imbrace not the veritie of the Gospel which yee professe therefore your Religion is not to be counted of By the contrary it followeth The worlde imbraceth it not therefore the Lord accounteth the more of it And if I were to make a Prayer for the professours of the Gospel to the Lord I would vse this argument of the Lords and I would say Lord the worlde seeth not this light and fewe are they that see it therefore I recommend them vnto thee for the few number are deare to thee Let the Papistes holde this still as a true note of their Kirke Kinges and Princes and the great multitude imbraceth their Religion let them holde still that Note it shall deceiue them it hath blind-folded them to euerlasting destruction Then hee commeth first to his owne knowledge and hee sayeth I haue knowne thee As he would say I am in thy bosome for the Sonne is in the bosome of the Father and I am one with thee in essence and in nature and I sit with thee in that eternall Counsell and I see thy minde and thine heart all that is in the Father the Sonne knoweth it Now with this knowledge is vnderstood that obedience and humble subjection the Sonne gaue to the Father all tendeth to this that the Father should loue his Disciples and the faythfull All the obedience and knowledge of the Sonne to the Father tendeth to this That the Father should loue vs. Well then hee that prayeth for the Disciples hee is a good man and knoweth God most perfectlie And no question this knowledge which he alleadgeth it is a great argument of this petition The person of him that prayeth and maketh intercession to the Lord for another is much to bee regarded hee draweth a great weight with him if hee bee a man that feareth God a good man and one that knoweth God and belieueth in Iesus Christ in a worde if hee bee such a one as the Lord accepteth of and fauoureth certainlie the Prayer of that man either for himselfe or for anie other is powerfull as IAMES sayeth The prayer of a just man auaileth much if it bee feruent
haue entered into this way to the Father by Christ as he is the Trueth wee must next enter into the way to the Father by Christ as he is Life But how enter we into this way by him as he is Life How bringeth Christ vs to the Father as he is Life I answere Whilest we are going to the Father wee must stedfastly belieue and bee fully assured that Christ is Life and that all life is from him as from the Fountaine and that whatsoeuer life wee haue we haue it through him Then ye see Christ is the way to the Father first because he is the Trueth next because he is the Life If thou wouldest come to Life begin at the Trueth for the first leadeth vs to the second For this word of Trueth euen the Gospel of the Lord Iesus when it is preached if we heare it reuerentlie and stedfastly belieue it and let it settle deeply in our soules it will bee powerfull at the last to bring foorth life in vs Were thy soule neuer so dead in sinnes and trespasses yet receiuing this Word of Trueth thou shalt rise from death and liue The Lord in the sixt Chapter of Iohn and the 63. verse letteth vs see this great force of this Word when he saith The words that I speake to you are Spirit and Life that is they are a most powerfull meane to minister and furnish vnto vs that Spirite and that Life of God And in that same Chapter also vvhen the Lord asketh at the Apostles If they would leaue him as many of them did who had followed him before Peter answereth in the name of the rest To whom shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life where ye see Peter out of his own experience affirmeth that the vvords vvhich hee heard of Christ vvere effectuall to vvorke eternall life vvhich made him and the rest of the Apostles vvith pleasure to remaine vvith Christ Thou that by the hearing of the vvord findest the life of God to bee conuoyed to thy soule vvilt easily bee perswaded that hee vvho is the Author of that vvord is life himselfe for how vvere it possible that there could be such a power in that vvorde to giue life except hee vvhose vvorde it is vvere the Fountaine and Well-spring of all life Then ye see by vvhat order vve come to the Father Wee must first begin at the Trueth then by the vvord of Trueth vve must be led to Life and then we must goe on piece and piece in that Life vvee must continue and perseuer in it and so doing it is not possible but at last vvee shall come into that eternall Life vvhich is hid vp in God and shall bee reuealed in that great day Then in a vvord vvouldest thou haue the summe of all that vve haue spoken in this matter This is it Euen that vvee belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ The vvay to the Father is Christ vvhen vvee belieue in him vvee are vvalking in this vvay vvhen our fayth increaseth piece and piece vvee goe on forward vve continue and perseuer in that vvay Now in the ende of the verse he preuenteth and answereth the thing that some might haue objected against this doctrine That he was the way for it might haue bene said to Christ Albeit thou bee the way to the Father yet thou art not the only way there are many other wayes beside thee To this the Lord answereth I am the onelie waye to come to the Father for sayeth hee None commeth to the Father but by mee That is I am so the waye to the Father that there is none other waye to come to the Father beside me And whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father by another way beside me or whosoeuer seeketh to come to the Father any other way but by me he shall be disappointed he shall neuer find the Father thou that seeks to come to HeaueÌ„ another way nor by Christ I giue thee that doome thou shalt neuer see Heauen Men dreame to themselues another way to come to Heauen nor by Christ the Papists deceiue themselues and the whole worlde teaching them to seeke Heauen by their owne merits by their own works and to come to the Father by the mediation intercession of Angels of the Saincts departed c. But all this is folly for there is one only way to Heauen and that a very strait and narrow way by Iesus Christ Indeed the way to Hell is a very broade way that is there are many wayes that leade to damnation for there is not a sinne that thou committest against God but it leadeth thee to Hell Whoredome leadeth a man to Hell Murder leadeth a man to Hell Drunkennesse leadeth a man to Hell all the foule affections of thine heart leade thee to Hell But there is one only way to come to Heauen Fayth in Iesus Christ Therefore thou who wouldest come to Heauen and dwell with the Father for euer leaue all other wayes for they are but pathes that leade to damnation and take thee to that only one way belieue in the Lord Iesus Christ and through him thou shalt bee assured to get life and glory To this Lord Iesus with the Father and the holy Spirit be all prayse and honour for euer Amen THE THIRD LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 7.8.9.10 7 Jf yee had knowne mee yee should haue knowne my Father also and from hencefoorth yee know him and haue seene him 8 Philip said vnto him Lord shew vs thy Father and it sufficeth vs. 9 Iesus said vnto him J haue beene so long time with you and hast thou not knowne mee Philip Hee that hath seene mee hath seene the Father how then sayest thâ—u Shew vs thy Father 10 Belieuest thou not that J am in the Father and the Father is in mee The wordes that I speake vnto you I speake not of my selfe but the Father that dwelleth in mee hee doeth the workes YEE heard Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus among the rest of the comforts that the Lord furnished to his Disciples that they should not bee troubled when hee should depart this was one and the last Yee knowe the place whither I am to goe first and where yee are to goe next in your time and also yee knowe the waye Therefore woulde hee saye comfort your selues with this knowledge while I come againe and take you to that place Vpon this last argument the conference falleth out betwixt Christ and his Disciples and first Thomas one of his Disciples speaketh and vttereth as it were a contradiction to the worde of the Lord Wee know not the place where thou art to goe sayeth hee and howe then can wee knowe the waye Vpon this speach of Thomas the â—ord taketh occasion to instruct Thomas and the rest in these pointes whereof they were ignorant concerning the place where hee was to goe and concerning the waye and first hee pointeth out the waye vnto them hee pointeth the waye
there is any good in vs there is aye a piece of imperfection in the best of vs all Then that which in Philip is to be commended is this that hee hath a desire to see God one of the greatest graces that euer was for Christ sayeth Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse Woe to that soule that neither hath seene the Father neither yet hath any desire to see him Another thing is commendable Hee thought if once he could get a sight of God hee woulde bee contented Indeede the onely contentment that man or woman hath in this world is into the sight of God All the thinges in the worlde will not giue a contentation to the soule but the more thou hast of an earthly thing as Riches Honour and pleasure the more euer shalt thou craue But and once thou seest the face of God in the which there is satietie of all joye there shalt thou finde full rest to thy soule and thou shalt haue such a joye and contentation that thou shalt craue no more for all fulnesse is in his face and hee filleth the creature with the beames of his glory And this Philip speaketh Wee shall then bee contented getting a sight of that glorious Majestie There are other thinges discommendable Hee vttereth a great ignorance euen of this grounde That the Sonne is the Image of the Father The Sonne and the Father are but one in nature essence and Majestie He misknew this ground without the which there is no comfort There is another thing discommendable in him Christ was instructing them in this grounde and hee vttereth a dulnesse in the meane time as if Christ had not spoken one worde These are two faultes Ignorance is a fault and the ignorance of God chiefly And their dulnesse and stupidity of heart is another fault whereby men and women are so senselesse and blockish that they are neyther moued with the thing that they heare nor able to conceiue the same as for the first and thou shouldest knowe all the worlde and misknowe God thou hast no knowledge Paul Philipp 3. professeth he would misknow all the thinges in the worlde for the knowledge of that eminence of Christ Hee was a great Scholler and a wise man yet in respect of that knowledge of Christ hee counted all but dammage yea hee counted all but dirt but hee calleth it Eminence because it surmounteth all the knowledge in the worlde it reacheth farther than Heauen yea aboue the thirde Heauen So ignorance is an euill thing and ignorance of God is the worst thing in the world It is not so great a miserie to bee in a darke pitte as to bee wrapped in such darknesse that they cannot see the Lorde Iesus If an ignorant creature who knoweth nothing of the Creator haue a desire and an hunger and thirst to bee fred out of that pit of ignorance there is grace and it must followe of necessitie that that creature who faine woulde knowe the Lorde Iesus must get knowledge the Lorde shall drawe him out of that darknesse which is the beginning of Hell Christ sayeth They who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse shall bee filled Blessed are they who hunger for God for of necessitie that creature must bee filled And on the other parte a man or a woman who knoweth not God and then in the meane time hath no desire to knowe God as alace ouer manie there bee who desire not to knowe God as if there were no Heauen nor Hell after this life It is a sure token they will bee casten into vtter darknesse a worlde of all miserie If there be anie of you who is ignorant and hath no desire to be fredde thereof I say to you and yee continue so and die so your soule shall goe to that darknesse of Hell If anie bodie bee in darkenesse and taketh a delectation therein and if hee were a King Emperour or Monarch howbeeit hee had all the knowledge in the worlde hee is but a miserable catiue For what is all the wisedome of this worlde without the knowledge of IESVS CHRIST But meere follie And the LORD shall make that wisedome which the Great men of this Lande count much of to be a snare to trappe them into All the thinges that they haue and the fauour of men shall not saue them from judgement because of the ignorance of IESVS CHRIST So yee see in Philip what was commendable and what was discommendable If wee bee in ignorance let vs desire to bee fredde from it And if wee bee dull and senselesse let vs bee carefull to vnderstande the worde of the LORD Let vs laye it vp in our heart and meditate on it day and night with prayer to GOD to giue vs vnderstanding heartes for to him that knocketh it shall bee opened Nowe the LORDE answereth to Philip Indeede considering howe hee had instructed them from the beginning He might haue reproued him and said I haue instructed you and as I perceiue yee haue profited nothing But the Lord yet tyreth not nor casteth them not off but teacheth them vvith patience and vvith lenity because he knew vvhat vvas in man There is not a Teacher vvho is vnperfect in himselfe vvho vvill teach vvith such lenity as the Lord did vvho had no ignorance in him but the fulnesse of all knowledge He leaueth his example to bee followed that all Teachers may teach vvith lenity after him So Paul biddeth Timothie being a young man teach vvith lenity 2. Timoth 4.2 It vvas not for nothing heâ— bore vvith them but that they should beare vvith others afterward when they should teach others for they vvho feele the hardnesse and dulnesse of nature best they haue greatest compassion vpon others The doctrine he vseth is by vvay of rebuke and it is but a gentle rebuke for hee sayth How sayest thou Shew vs the Father As if hee vvould say How is this Philip that thou sayst Shew me the Father He is not content vvith this but hee rebuketh and teacheth Philip in the grounds of the knowledge of God and he sayth He who knoweth me and seeth mee hee seeth the Father but so it is thou seest mee it is a shame to thee to misken me therefore how askest thou at mee Shew me the Father Yet he sayth Belieuest thou not Philip that the Father is in mee and J in him One in essence glory and Majesty howbeit diuerse in persons Philip belieuest thou not that I am the splendor of his glory For hee is the expresse forme of him vvho cannot bee seene Therefore vvouldest thou see the Father to thy comfort that thou mayest be transchanged to the like glorie Wee may see men yea Kings in glory and vve vvill get none of it but vvhen we see that Maiesty the beames that strike on vs shall transchange vs. So I saye vvouldest thou see thy felicity vvouldest thou see God and as thou vvouldest desire to liue thou must desire to see him then preasse to get
you also if they haue kept my word they will also keepe yours 21 But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my Names sake because they haue not knowne him that sent mee 22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne 23 Hee that hateth mee hateth my Father also 24 Jf J had not done workes among them which none other man did they had not had sinne but now haue they both seene and haue hated both mee and my Father 25 But it is that the worde might bee fulfilled that is written in their Law They hated mee without a cause 26 But when that Comforter shall come whome I will sende vnto you from my Father euen the Spirit of trueth which proceedeth of the Father hee shall testifie of mee 27 And yee shall witnesse also because yee haue beene with mee from the beginning AFter the Lord Iesus beloued in him hath giuen sundry exhortations to his Disciples at last in the 16. vers he giueth a direction to them that after his ascension to Heauen they should passe out into the world and teach all Nations baptize them The words here are that they should go bring out fâ—uit that is win soules to the kingdome of Heauen Secondly he sets down the ground of his ordinance he sets downe what right he hath to giue it I haue chosen you ye haue not chosen me saith he I preuented you when there was no such thing in your mind therfore I haue just right to giue you this ordinance After he hath giuen this ordinance he begins to furnish them inarme theÌ„ against the time they shold passe out the first piece of armour was prayer they shold pray to the Father But how In his Name Look they heart in prayer be grouÌ„ded by faith in Iesus Christ The next piece of their armour is loue chiefly that loue which euery one should beare to another they ought not only loue him whom they teach but the fellow labourers should loue mutually when the fellow-labourers agree among themselues then the work of the Lord goes forward pleasantly The third piece of armour is patience that they should suffer patiently all the hatred of the world Now he insisteth vpon this place and vseth sundry arguments The first he had was from his owne example hee saieth Haue they not hated mee before you then why should yee take it heauily that the worlde hate you for the seruant is not greater than his Master I goe forward In the beginning of this Text we haue the second argument whereby the Lord moueth his Disciples to beare patiently the hatred of the world If yee were of the world the world would loue his owne saith he but because ye are not of the worlde but I haue chosen you out of the worlde therefore the worlde hateth you The meaning is this in effect If the world hate you it is a good token that I haue chosen you out of the vvorlde and relieued you from that damnation which ye were subject to Ye see in this argument when the world loueth any man certainlie it is a token that there is little good in that man for the wicked worlde ordained for damnation will loue no man without a cause except it find a conformitie with it And as Paul saieth Rom. 12. vers 2. except it find a likenesse in humour and affection it will not loue a man It is true wicked men will loue a good man but neuer for any good neuer for Gods cause but for some particular respect as kinred alliance blood or some policie But for a good cause wicked men will neuer loue a good man By the contrarie when the worlde hateth a man it is a token there is some good in that man Ere euer the worlde beginne to hate a man God loueth him Ere euer the worlde beginne to shoote that man out of the worlde the Lord hath exempted him out of the worlde It is true indeede the worlde will hate a wicked man as a man who doeth great and horrible murders committeth adulterie and incest c. but the worlde will neuer hate wickednesse for wickednesse cause because it is an offence to God but for some priuate hurt and dammage as because he is noysome to the Common-wealth and troublesome to the peace of the Countrey and such like This same which I speake of men may bee well drawne to Religion That Religion which the multitude of the worlde runneth after is not most to be approued No the Lord saue me from it Neither that Religion which the world detesteth is to be rejected No the hatred of the Deuill and of the world is a good to ken When the world hateth godly men there is matter of patience and of joye and it is a sure token the hatred of the worlde shall not so soone touch the heart but as soone the Lord shall meet it with his loue and the greater the hatred bee the greater shall the loue of God be Rom. 5. vers 3. Faith worketh patience patience experience to wit of the fauour and loue of God which hee saith afterward is shed abroad by his holy Spirit into our hearts I goe forward The third argument Remember saieth the Lord the word that I saide to you The seruant is not greater than his Master Looke what they did to me they will doe the same to you As hee would say It may suffice you to be in that estate that I was in before you for why yee are but seruantes and I am the Lord and therefore it may suffice you well to bee in that estate that I haue bene in before you He calleth them to remembrance of that word which he spake before in the 13. Chap. and 16. vers when he exhorted them to humilitie Would any man or woman after the example of Christ be humbled lowly and obedient and patient let them euer holde their eyes vpon Iesus Christ and vpon that highnesse and Lordship wherein hee sitteth at the right hand of the Father and then when thou seest howe high hee is looke downe to thy selfe and thou shalt see the fardest that thou canst claime to is this To be but his seruant though thou werest a King and woe be to thee if thou be not a seruant of Christs Then looking vp to Christ and downe to thy selfe reason thus Hath my Lord who is aboue me suffered many things patiently shall not I who am a seruant suffer something patiently And then the soule shall say Suffer patiently for him and I shall count it honour to be partaker of his suffering for of all the honours of the world it is the greatest to suffer for Christ Were not the Apostles blythe while they suffered for Christ Reade Act. 5. vers 41. there it is said They departed from the Councill reioycing that they were counted worthie to suffer rebuke for his Name Paul Phillip
him knewe not the Father Howe can these two stand They stand both well for first of all there is a certaine knowledge of God by the which the most wicked in the worlde knoweth God but then the canker of the heart expelleth this knowledge and on this commeth ignorance and on ignorance commeth hatred Marke by what degrees sinne riseth vp and euery one of vs may finde this in some measure there is no sinner who doeth a great sinne but first they haue a knowledge of God of good and of euill Paul Rom. 1. vers 21. speaking of the Gentiles saieth they knew God There is such a bitternesse and maliciousnesse in the heart that that maliciousnesse blotteth out the knowledge in the heart A wicked man will stoppe both his fingers in his eyes that he should not see The Apostle afterward says They not taking pleasure to intertain the knowledge of God they put out knowledge knowledge departed blacke ignorance coÌ„meth in by the judgement of God then farewell conscience then they lose all feeling and being blind and past sense they run headlonges to all mischiefe And that is it the Apostle speaketh Ephes 4.19 So yee see that all this mischiefe that men committeth in the world falleth out immediatly of blindnes ere euer one go to doe wickednes ignorance coÌ„meth in first then commeth in a want of conscience Durst a man goe out so boldly before God to doe wickednesse if hee had a conscience And thinke yee that wicked men in this Countrey who take pastime in murder in filthinesse c. and aboue all those men who haue committed such hainous things against God against Religion against their owne natiue Countreye and the Crowne thinke yee they woulde haue such a boldnesse if they stopped not their fingers in their eyes and blunted the conscience I pronounce in the Name of God they are bound in the chaines of darnesse loose them who will if they repent not The last thing I mark what is the thing that maketh all sinne inexcusable Knowledge closeth the mouth of the sinner knowledge taketh away all excuses it taketh awaye ignorance and ignorance shall excuse no man in the daye of the Lord and the greater the knowledge bee the lesse excuse is there for sinne I saye more Knowledge not onely maketh sinne inexcusable but knowledge doubleth sinne Murder is sinne but murder with knowledge is double sinne and the greater the knowledge is the greater the sinne shall bee in the daye of Iudgement And if thou hadst but the knowledge of the elements thou shalt be inexcusable And if the Lord speake out of Heauen to thee thy sinne shall bee tripled and well were it with thee who nowe sinnest vnder the light of the Gospel without repentance that thou hadst bene one of Sodome in that great day and thou thy selfe shalt wish in that daye that so it had beene There is no tongue can tell the judgement that shall fall vpon that man who heareth this worde and abideth in sinne Yet the worlde will not bee wakened Crie on them they are not the better Thus much for the second argument In the verse following lest it shoulde bee thought or objected that the obstinate Iewes should haue done this in despite of God the Lord meeteth this saith All this is done that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their Lawe They hated mee without a cause The place is in the 35. Psalme vers 19. It is called the Lawe because all Prophecie is a pendicle to Moyses Lawe and all the Prophets were vnder the Law This is a complaint of Dauid of his enemies who hated him without a cause There was a great cause of loue in Christ and not of hatred Then this yee will see commonly that when the Spirit in the Scripture maketh mention of crosses troubles and persecution of Christ which are euill things he speaketh so warily of them that nothing bee derogate to Gods glorie hee saith The Lord ordained them from all eternitie And there is not a thing yea not the moste vnworthie thing that is done to the faythfull of Christ this daye but it commeth by that eternall Decree it was preordained and if it had not beene so the godly had cause to sorrowe and the God of Heauen woulde bee disgraced And marke this that the ordinance of God shall not excuse thee who is the instrument when thou doest anie thing against his reuealed will The Murderer may saye What haue I done but the will of God O murderer say I thou art not to bee excused thou hast not done the will of God reuealed and so say I to the Adulterer and to all others that commit sinnes which God hath forbidden After that he hath aggreaged this hatred of the Iewes against his Disciples he leaueth it and returneth to his Disciples to comfort them The last thing hee comforteth them with Hee shall sende them that Comforter from the Father for hee commeth first from the Father and the Father sendeth him by the Sonne he calleth him the Spirit of trueth and He shall testifie into your heart of mee As if hee would saye The testimony these Iewes got it was but outwardly but to you I shall sende my Spirit an inward witnesse The Lesson is Wee see heere two sortes of witnesses the one outwarde the other inwarde to wit the Spirit The first is his word his miracles and it is good to heare the worde but and if the Spirite bee not present it were better for thee neuer to haue heard the worde And supposing wee had CHRIST with vs euen in the middest of vs as hee was amongst the Iewes if it pleased him not to sende his Spirite into our heartes it woulde doe vs no good And therefore thinke it not enough to saye And if wee had CHRIST as the Iewes had him wee woulde belieue and wee woulde bee well No no If thou hadst not the Spirite all woulde not auaile thee Bee not content to bee hearers onelie for all that will serue but to daâ—nation except thou feelest that Comforter to worke in thine heart to reforme thine heart and to worke fayth into thee And therefore let this bee thy prayer in hearing that worde LORD let thy Spirit worke into mine heart And if hee bee into thine heart hee will let thee feele such a comfort and such a peace and such a rest into thine heart that the worlde cannot tell what it meaneth This is to be considered that he saith he will send the Comforter to them from the Father for it importeth That the Spirit floweth first from the Father then from himselfe So he said in the Chapter preceeding thaâ— the Father should sende the Spirit in his Name for the Father sendeth the Spirit by the Sonne ere the Sonne sende him from the Father Seeing then he proceedeth from them both he must beare witnesse both of the Father and of the Sonne but of the Father by the Sonne in whom the Father
and seeke nothing We are poore bodies sleeping in a dead sleep and except we be wakened we will not rise out of it or once open our mothes to say God helpe mee And then when wee haue opened our mouthes to speake a word it will be coldly and wearshlie saide this is our nature Then marke last what mercifull care the Lord hath ouer vs we would for euer lie still and die in pouertie if the Lord saide not Waken waken The Lord Iesus not onely wakened his Disciples but to the end of the world he is euer wakening his owne sometimes by faire wordes and sometimes by boasting and sometimes by afflictions to moue them to pray in his Name Sometimes outwardly the Lord will come and strike thee what reckes of all the strokes in the world though thou shouldest be buffetted and beaten yea and pulled in pieces and if it bee to free thee from Hell Sometimes inwardly hee will pricke thee and stirre vp thy conscience to accuse thee and he will open the eyes of thy soule to see thine owne miserie and want And when the Lord hath wakened thee that thou beginnest once to sigh for grace hee will bee at thy right hand and stirre thee vp to praye and then the sigh for grace shall not so soone come out but it shall ascende to God for that same sigh though it were neuer so small being raised from the heart by his owne holy Spirit he cannot mis know it but hee must sende thee an answere and then thine heart is kindled vp with a sweet sense of thy God But shouldest thou then leaue off to pray No no but then thou shouldest praye fastest for a poore bodie who hath gotten a pennie will be very well content and will giue many thankes And thou who hast gotten a part of Spirituall grace wilt thou not giue thanks Yea thanke and thanke againe for there is no time to leaue off prayer but aye to praye and giue thankes There are two thinges thou hast either a sense of thine own misery or els a sense of the grace of God bestowed vpō thee and then shouldest thou not praye There is not an houre but wee should praye for Paul Ephes 6. vers 18. recommendeth prayer vnto them in this manner Praying with all kinde of supplication and at all times Wee must bee aye fighting with our inwarde enemies and those spirituall powers of darknesse there should bee no rest no not a moment and as the battel hath no rest so wee should neuer leaue off to praye for and if thou leaue off to praye thou shalt not stande but yeelde and giue thy selfe ouer to thine enemies In one word there is no time granted vnto vs to be voyde of an heauenlie disposition and if thine heart bee well disposed to praye and thinke not that this will hinder thee of any worldly exercises bee aye communing with God in whatsoeuer thing thou doest for it shall bee so farre from hindering thee that it shall further thee and when thou goest to doe any worke saye Lord blesse this worke and when thou enterprizest any thing seeke aye the blessing of God let thine heart be euer spiritually disposed This is the cause why the worlde is so prophane and hath so little minde of God and hath so foule heartes that will speake so foule blasphemies and filthie purposes the Adulterer will worke his vile adulterie and the foule Murderer his murders c. because they want prayer and then the Lord leaueth them and letteth them wallow in their mischiefe till at the last he giueth them ouer to the hands of the Deuill Now when he hath wakened them hee commeth to the fourth part of the blessednesse they shall haue when hee shall returne Hitherto sayeth hee I haue spoken in parables that is in obscure and darke sentences But when J shall come againe I shall speake nothing in parables but mith a great euidence that ye shall not neede to doubt of one worde Brethren vnderstand this for when the Lord was into the worlde amongst the Iewes for the most part hee spake in parables and his speaches and preachings were obscure so it was harde to take vp his speaches and therefore yee may reade in the thirteenth Chap. of Matth. that commonly he spake in parables that is all which he spake was not euident and not only were his speaches obscure to the multitude but to his Disciples also as this A little while and yee shall not see mee and againe a little while and yee shall see mee Yet he expounded the parables to his Disciples as ye reade in that same Chap. of Matth. And till he came againe out of the Heauēs to them by his Spirit it was hard to vnderstand him What was the cause of this that hee woulde speake so obscurelie not onely to the multitude but also to his owne Disciples When Christ was in the world the worke of the redemption of man was not wrought Christ had not suffered nor risen againe nor passed vp to the Heauen he was not glorified and therefore the speaches of the redemption of man being a thing to come could not bee so plaine but nowe all is past and there are no more parables but all are cleare speaches of the redemption the speaches of the thinges to come cannot bee so cleare as the speaches of a thing done and ended The Lord spake more clearly by the mouth of his Apostles of the worke of our redemption than hee did himselfe with his owne mouth To drawe this to our selues As the Lord hath giuen to vs to haue that ioye and that knowledge which was promised to the Disciples and all grace and mercy for the asking Euen so we haue in the Kirke of Iesus Christ this daye the same plainnesse in speaking of the Crosse and as the Apostle sayeth The Lord Jesus is crucified before our eyes Speake not the Apostles clearly vnto vs in these Writs which are left Haue wee not the foure Euangels the best Booke that euer was make of it as yee will and those Epistles of Paul and the rest of the Apostles written in such euidencie and plainnesse euen the same thing in effect which they preached And in a manner wee haue the Apostles speaking vnto vs in that euidencie wherein they spake when they liued And if a man woulde take those Writs in his handes and espy them well he would perceiue the Spirite of God in them And nowe also the Lord raiseth vp men to speake with liuely words and to builde on that foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Not Hay nor Stubbles but the Lord raiseth vp men to builde on the foundation as the Apostle sayeth Siluer and Golde and precious stones and as Paul sayth of himselfe and the rest of the Apostles 2. Corinth 4. vers 3. Hee who worketh light out of darknesse the same God causeth the light of his presence to shine in our hearts thorow Iesus Christ to giue the light of knowledge
of the worlde Now by them there is no doubt but the LORD shineth into the heartes of some men that they may giue light vnto others light aboundantlie shineth into the worlde so that none haue cause to bee darkened for fault of light but as the Apostle Paul sayeth in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians the fourth Chapter and thirde vers If the Gospel bee hid it is hid to them that perish So saye I if thou bee not lightened thou shalt die and if thou gettest not illumination by these same men count of them as thou wilt and lightlie them as thou pleasest die shalt thou euerlastinglie and saye with thy selfe And if I gette not illumination I will die without remedie And I denounce against thee that if thou gettest not illumination by this same Ministerie count of it as thou wilt thou shalt die for euer The last part of that felicitie is this A readinesse and easinesse of GOD to heare their prayers night and daye Yee shall aske in my Name sayeth the LORD and J saye not that I shall praye the Father for you Indeede would hee saye I praye continuallie And no doubt the LORD IESVS in the daye of his humiliation prayed and neuer one prayed as he prayed with such a faith such a zeale and such a sense No let him haue the degree aboue all that euer prayed from the beginning of the worlde Hee felt best the miserie of man and pittied it And when hee went thorowe the Streetes of HIERVSALEM or wheresoeuer he went hee behelde the miserable bodies and hee prayed for them vnto his Father And thou likewise therefore when thou goest thorowe the streetes of EDINBVRGH looke about thee vnto the miserable multitude and see if thou hast not cause to praye to GOD for them that hee would bee mercifull to them This should bee thine exercise and no doubt CHRIST was so exercised heere on earth but nowe when CHRIST is exalted to his glorie to saye that hee will kneele downe on his knees and praye to the Father as the Papistes saye it is but a dreame for all that was a parte of his humiliation The LORD IESVS is an euerlasting Mediatour and there is none ende thereof And that Crosse is as liuelie before the Father as that same night wherein hee was crucified and so are his prayers for hee is an Aduocate not like our Aduocates hee is a crucified Aduocate Looke to him for there is no life but in the sight of him And as for his praying and humbling himselfe thinke not that all is vanished no all abideth euerlastinglie for that Prayer which yee shall heare in the CHAPTER following and all his Prayers which hee made to his Father abideth yet and shall abide euerlastinglie Then sayeth hee thinke not that I shall praye then for you as I was wont to doe but yee shall bee hearde Because the Father loueth you Yee see a man who loueth another hee will heare him willinglie And wherefore loueth hee you Because sayeth hee yee loue mee GOD will requite loue with loue yea GOD will preuent thy loue with his infinite loue and then thine heart is drawne to him And looke howe often thou wilt loue him hee will as often compasse thy loue with his loue and what is thy loue but a sorie thing in respect of that infinite loue of his Then hee sayeth Yee haue belieued that I am come out from GOD. Yee see the grounde of this readinesse is fayth in IESVS CHRIST I will ende in one worde and woulde to GOD this loue could enter into our heartes Wilt thou loue the Sonne of GOD from thine heart and not in worde onelie For loue standeth not in a worde and wilt thou belieue him that hee hath died for thy sinnes and risen for thy glorie Then euerie daye and houre his eare shall bee readie to heare thy prayer A man will thinke it no small matter to haue the eare of a King patent and readie when hee calleth The LORD shall bowe his eare to thee night and day if thou belieue in IESVS CHRIST Is this anie small thing that the LORD of Heauen shall heare thee when thou shalt call vpon him So his eare through loue by faith in IESVS CHRIST is euer patent to heare his owne Yet there is an higher grounde of this to wit that wonderfull loue which the Father beareth to the Sonne If thou louest him hee will loue thee and if thou bee an enemie to him hee will bee an open enemie to thee If there bee anie man who loueth not the LORD IESVS let him bee Anathema and Anathema Maranatha 1. Corinth Chap. 16. Vers 12. That is Cursed for euer Hee who loueth the LORD IESVS is blessed for euer and he who hateth the LORD IESVS is cursed for euer Nowe would to GOD wee had an heart to saye with Paul The man who loueth not CHRIST let him be Anathema From whence rose this From a wonderfull loue which the Apostle bare to the LORD IESVS And from whence rose this loue to CHRIST Looke what the Apostle sayeth in the second Epistle to the Corinthians in the fifth Chapter and the fourteenth Vers The loue of CHRIST constraineth mee Nowe woulde to GOD that wee had the halfe of this loue and if it were so wee woulde haue little patience to see thinges as they are and to see the enemies of CHRIST IESVS set vp the Altar of the Deuill against the Altar of CHRIST wee woulde not onelie make imprecations against theâ— but wee woulde by all meanes hinder them And this carelesnesse which wee haue testifieth that wee loue not CHRIST and if wee loue him not an heauie judgement shall light vpon vs. Nowe therefore seeing all grace is from the loue of CHRIST the LORD fill our heartes with that loue that wee may bee partakers of grace heere and heereafter bee glorified with CHRIST To whome with the Father and the holie Spirite bee all praise honour and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XVI LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvi VERS 28.29.30.31.32.33 28 I am come out from the Father and came into the world againe J leaue the world and goe to the Father 29 His Disciples said vnto him Loe now speakest thou plainly and thou speakest no parable 30 Now know we that thou knowest all things and needest not that anie man should aske thee By this we belieue that thou art come out from God 31 Jesus answered them Doe you belieue now 32 Beholde the houre commeth and is alreadie come that yee shall bee scattered euerie man into his owne and shall leaue mee alone But I am not alone for the Father is with mee 33 These thinges haue J spoken vnto you that in mee yee might haue peace in the world yee shall haue affliction but bee of good comfort J haue ouercome the world BEfore in this Chapter Brethren the Lord fore-warned his Disciples that hee was to depart but hee spake to them in a parable
for the people so he being high Priest made intercession for his own people The intercession which the Lord made for his owne consisteth in two points to wit in prayer and in offering vp of a sacrifice Then as for the first part of this intercession when the Lord was in the world he prayed continually for the people hee neuer ceased night nor daye from prayer As for the other part of his intercession when he had bene in the world awhile at the last hee offereth vp that sweete Sacrifice of his owne body to the Father and so hee putteth an ende to all those sacrifices which were but types of him the true Sacrifice As for the Prayers whereby the Lord interceded betwixt God and man they were manie and made at sundry times But amongst all the rest it may bee easilie seene that this prayer in this Chapter was one of the moste excellent and so it hath pleased the holy Spirite to register this Prayer especially and to recommend it to the posteritie to the end of the worlde First this Prayer is no able in respect of the time in the which hee made it it was euen about that time when hee offered himselfe vp to the Father Next in respect of the vse it is notable because by this prayer he did consecrate and dedicate that blessed Sacrifice to the Father for sacrifices were dedicated to Goâ— by prayer Thirdly in respect of the subject and matter of it for as ye may see in the Chapter it selfe first the Lord prayeth for himselfe and for that eternall glory which he had with the Father from all eternity the fairest thing and the greatest matter that euer was was that which hee prayed for and this hee doeth in the first fiue Verses Then he commeth on and prayeth for his Disciples which he should leaue behinde him in the worlde that the Lord would take the custody of them after his Ascension vnto the Heauens and would preserue them from all perill and this hee doeth from the fifth Verse to the twenty And last hee prayeth for the whole Kirke for life euerlasting and justification and this he doeth to the ende of this Chapter So yee s ee it is a notable subiect Last of all will ye looke to the force of this Prayer yee shall see the excellencie of it The force was not for the present or for a time but the force of it abideth continually to the ende of the worlde And this same Prayer is a meane whereby all men and women who are safe and shall bee safe to the ende of the world obtaine saluation And so this Prayer may bee well called A ground wherevpon the Kirke standeth And as our saluation standeth on the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ so it standeth on that Prayer that was offered to his Father But to come to the Text When Jesus sayeth John the writer of the Gospel had spoken these thinges hee lifted vp his eyes to the Heauen and he said as followeth This is the entrie to the Prayer wherein Iohn first concludeth the Sermon which the Lord made to his Disciples When Iesus had spoken these thinges to his Disciples Then hee proponeth the Prayer that followeth Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen and said There is the proposition of the Prayer In the proposition he noteth narrowly the behauiour of Christ in his Prayer Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen So in the eleuenth Chapter of this Gospel he noteth this behauiour in praying when hee thanketh his Father that he heard him before he raise â— Lazarus from the dead he lifted vp his eyes to Heauen Nowe Brethren to speake of gesture in Prayer it needeth not much will ye reade the Scriptures yee shall reade these gestures to bee in prayer First Godly men haue humbled themselues before that Majesty It becommeth the best of vs all to bow vs before God They signified by the bowing of their knees the humbling of the heart Offer not if ye haue a proude heart to come before that Throne Then they were wont to haue their handes and their eyes lift vp to the Heauens that signified the lifting vp of the eye of the soule to God to looke to him and to see him thorowe all these cloudes and these visible heauens to come to that light that hath none accesse and this agreeth with the other There are many who shall see Heauen but with an humbled heart when the heart is humbled and brought lowe then it is conuoyed thorowe these heauens euen to that light of God It becommeth all Christians to bee humbled on their knees and to lift vp their eyes to Heauen but all standeth in the heart What recks of the outward disposition if the soule be not heauenly disposed If it haue a sense of Heauen then the outwarde gesture will followe then wee will bowe our knees and humble vs before that Maiesty An humbled heart will fall downe but a proude sinner who is not touched with a sense of his sinnes will hardly bow his knee Nowe wee come to the Prayer first hee maketh his petition for himselfe and why not the most precious thing in the worlde is the glory of Iesus Christ Hee sayeth Father glorifie thy Sonne There is his petition Marke the style it is a very warme and hearty stile that he giueth him speaking familiarly to God the heart of him warmeth sweetly with him and as a Sonne he calleth him Father The stile which he giueth him vttereth that he had a sense of that fatherly loue and affection towards him While as he nameth him Father hee vttereth that Sonly affection and loue that hee bare to him A Sonly loue craueth a Fatherly loue and conciliateth a Fatherly affection from Heauen Why should we not striue to be like the Lord Iesus and in Prayer chiefly Woulde any man or woman finde the Fatherly affection of God Would they haue that loue that Fathers beare to their Children Let them vtter in Prayer that affection that a Sonne or a Daughter shoulde haue to their Father If thou wouldest haue the Fatherly loue of God the sweetest thing in the worlde looke that the Names which thou gluest him testifie that thou louest him as a deare Childe loueth his Parentes and looke aye wee pray with that Spirite which is the Spirite of Adoption that testifieth to our soules that wee are adopted to bee the Sonnes and Daughters of God for it is that Spirite that giueth libertie to the heart and openeth the mouth and causeth thee as the Apostle sayeth to crie Abba Father And if thou haue not this holie Spirite of Adoption and if that Spirite open not thine heart and lowse thy tongue call him Father as thou wilt hee is nothing else to thee but a terrible Iudge to take vengeance on thee and thou art nothing els but a slaue to him and not a Sonne Looke aye therefore that thou haue that Spirite that shall testifie to thee that thou art not the childe of wrath
heareth of the Gospel the soule is the more illuminate and the bodie that will take heede will finde the glorifying of the soule in some measure and then when wee shall see him out of the bodie when we shall blinke on that glorious countenance then both bodie and soule shall bee glorified He draweth the glorie which the Father hath giuen him from the ground Because thou hast loued mee before the foundation of the worlde was laid The glory the Father giueth to the Sonne is of an infinite loue and vnspeakeable Would yee measure the glorie of the Sonne and the greatnesse of it and when it beganne Looke to the loue the Father bare to the Sonne in greatnesse it is infinite thine heart is not capable of the thousand part of that loue It is infinite Who can tell it How can my finite heart tell it If the loue be infinite then the glory is infinite He sayd his Father loued him from all eternitie that loue had neuer a beginning therfore the glory had neuer a beginning as hee sayth himselfe before in the 5. vers of this Chap. Wouldest thou know the end It hath none ende It is not like the loue of man the loue of the Father to the Sonne it is euerlasting and therfore the glory of Iesus Christ it shall neuer haue an end howbeit it was obscured for a time Farder ye may perceiue when he speaketh of his glory he draweth in the loue of the Father to himselfe This is an argument that in speaking of that glory he hath a sense of that infinite loue So the joye and the glory of the Sonne of God wherein standeth it His ioy and glory standeth in that he hath gotten it not with reafe or robbery but with the loue of the Father Wouldest thou possesse any benefit of God with pleasure wouldest thou haue ioy with it What if thou hadst all the world and hadst no pleasure nor ioy in it All gifts are from the Father of Heauen the Father of Iesus Christ Wouldest thou then haue pleasure in the gift Looke that the giuer loue thee striue to feele that hee giueth thee it in loue and then though the gift bee neuer so small yea if it were but a Dinner or a fill of Meat thou shalt haue more ioy in the participation of it if thou take it because he loueth thee than if he wold cast vnto thee a Kingdome if thou feelest not his loue Hee will throwe a Kingdome to a Loune to a wicked man c. as who would throw a bone to a Dogge But as for thee wheÌ„thou gettest any thing looke thou get it not in anger or els it shall neuer doe thee good if thou wouldest haue it to bee vnto thee an ernest-pennie of heauenly things looke that thou findest the loue of the giuer otherwayes esteeme nought of it thou mayest well haue it but it shall be for thy destruction but if thou gettest it of loue he will warne thee he will make the holy Spirit to powre into thine heart a greater sweetnesse of his loue than thou canst finde in the participation of the benefit it selfe Therefore in all benefites thou receiuest euer cast thee to feele that God loueth thee in Iesus Christ who hath died and risen for thee And if thou haue a sense of that loue that Spirit shall worke in thy soule an vnspeakeable ioye which shall bee the earnest-pennie of that eternall ioy which thou shalt get in the Heauens through Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and prayse for euermore AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xxvii VERS 25.26 25 O righteous Father the world also hath not knowne thee but I haue knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent mee 26 And J haue declared vnto them thy Name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued mee may bee in them and J in them WEE haue heard Welbeloued in the LORD IESVS CHRIST that the LORD in the last parte of his Prayer which hee maketh to his Father prayeth not onelie for his Disciples but generallie for the whole faythfull to the ende of the worlde Now in this TEXT which wee haue read hee returneth againe to his Disciples and hee maketh a Prayer especiallie for them because they had most adoe in the worlde and were to bee sent out into the worlde to win others to the Kingdome of Heauen Therefore the Lord most of all remembereth them in his Prayer and most earnestlie recommendeth them to the Father for those whome the Lord hath ordained to win others of all men in the worlde they haue most neede of Prayer because if they bee not vpholden not only are they lost themselues but also in them standeth the losse of the whole worlde and of the whole Congregation of Iesus Christ to whome they are sent Therefore the Lord in all his Prayers and especiallie in this his last Prayer is moste earnest in recommending of them to the Father Now in the last wordes which were immediatelie before these wordes which we haue read the Lord speaketh of that loue which the Father bare to him ere euer the ground-stone or foundation of the worlde was layde And now in this petition that hee maketh for his Disciples hee beseecheth his Father to communicate with them that loue which hee bare vnto him For all graces and of all benâ—fites in the world the loue of God is the greatest and hee or shee that hath gotten the loue of God in their heart and feelâ—th that God loueth them haue the most precious Iewell that euer was Therefore the Lord beseecheth the Father in the ende of this Prayer that the louâ— that hee bare to him hee would communicate it to his Disciples whome he was to leaue behinde him in the worlde The argument that he vseth is taken from that ende both of the knowledge that the Sonne hath of his Father and of that whole obedience that the Sonne gaue to the Father as also of the knowledge that the Disciples had of him the ende of all this is That the Father should loue them And therefore seeing the ende of all was That the loue of the Father should bee in them the Lord beseecheth the Father to loue them in these wordes O righteous Father There is the stile which he giueth him O righteous Father the worlde hath not knowne thee but I have knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent mee and I haue manifested thy Name vnto them and shall manifest it farther and all to this ende That thy loue may bee in them and I in them There is the whole TEXT Hee stileth him Father a warme word and a louing stile Hee stileth him Righteous Father respecting the petition which hee had in hand It is a verie righteous and just thing which hee seeketh of the Father Therefore hee calleth him Righteous Father Thou wilt graunt that thing