but they will bee fectfull There is not a man or a woman who deliteth in euill that hath Christ dwelling within them When the Lord hath pointed out the man who loueth him the Disciples might haue thought What vantage shal men then haue to loue thee for wee will doe nothing without vantage thy loue appeareth to be a burden till vs because thou chargest vs to keepe thy Commandements The Lord meeteth this and hee saieth Hee that loueth me shall be loued of my Father he shall not loue me for nothing my Father shall meet him with loue Whosoever loueth the Lord Iesus the Father loueth him vvhosoever hateth the Lord Iesus the Father hateth him There is nothing but hatred in God against the Iewes and Pagans vvho loueth not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema It vvould seeme by these vvords Brethren that our loue preceedeth and passeth before the loue of God and because wee loue him first therefore hee loueth vs But this is not the beginning of loue that is meant here God beginneth the loue and then we loue him Thereafter hee meeteth vs with loue God loueth vs ay first vvhen we were his enemies he loued vs he loued vs ere euer we were or had any being and because he loued vs he chose vs. In this standeth loue fayth Iohn 1. Epist Chap. 4. vers 10. not that wee loued him first but that hee loued vs first to kythe this hee sent his only begotten Sonne to bee a propitiation for our sinnes So God beginneth first to loue vs ere euer wee begin to loue him Paul saith Rom. 5. The loue of God must bee shed abroad in our hearts the holy Spirit must testifie vnto vs of that fauour that God hath till vs and hee must water our drie heartes vvith a sense of that loue and then when the Lord letteth vs see that hee loueth vs and hath assured vs of the remission of our sinnes by the death of Christ then wee begin to meete him with loue So the loue vvee haue to God is nothing but like a little spring of vvater flowing from that great Fountaine of his loue Now vvhen the Lord seeth vs begin to loue him in some measure vve begin not to loue him so soone but as he began to loue vs hee commeth about and compasseth our loue He is euer the first louer and the last There is none heart able to comprehende the loue of the Lord The loue of the Lord to his owne is endlesse Paul sayeth to the Ephesians Chap. 3. vers 18. Yee being rooted and grounded vpon the loue of God there is our roote and our foundation vve stand vpon yee may be able to comprehend with all the Saincts vvhat is the breadth and length and depth and height of that loue The loue of God is infinite The heart vvill feele the loue of God But the heart of the sinner cannot comprehend it in full measure But to speake of our loue it is very sober it is nothing to speake of and except God meete this sponke of loue continually vvith that passing loue that sponke vvould soone be quenched except he continued his grace vpon vs our loue would soone vanish away Wee may finde this all by experience For vvhen God hath heaped his benefites vpon vs vvee meete him not aye vvith loue but our loue is like to die and euanish out of our heartes When God hath giuen a benefite vvho is it that at the recept of it hath his heart drawne to God When thou hast eaten and drunken and slept hast thou thine heart drawne to God The vvorlde forgetteth God vvhen it hath gotten the benefites of God In a worde Our loue is so small and weake that albeit hee preasse to intertaine it it is like to die and dwine awaye It should not bee so For it vvill not bee vvel vvith them and they vvere Kinges Lordes or Earles vvhen they gette the benefites of GOD vvho will not acknowledge him for them And thinke once of the loue of GOD thou shalt not loue him so soone but thou shalt finde that loue of GOD in thine heart Preasse to loue the LORDE and hee shall striue to loue thee and shall not rest to loue thee till hee glorifie thee in the Heauens Hee addeth to and hee sayeth Not onlie shall the Father loue him but the Son shall loue him also The loue of the Father and of the Son is vnseparable whom the Father loueth the Son loueth on the contrary whom the Father hateth the Sonne hateth also So and thou wouldest haue the loue of the Father haue the loue of the Sonne Howbeit these two loues bee set downe as sundry loues as though the Father had one loue and the Sonne another loue as wee see amongst men it is not so with the Father of Heauen and with the Sonne of God As there is but one essence of the Father and of the Sonne and one Majestie and as there is but one power and justice and wisdome so there is but one and that selfe same loue of the Father and of the Sonne and that same loue vvhich is the Sonnes is also the Fathers the nature of God is loue if there be but one nature of the Father and of the Sonne it must therefore followe there is but one loue of the Father and of the Sonne How then get wee the sense and feeling of this loue of God Experience telleth vs that all the sense of loue that is in the Father is all thorow the Sonne Neuer man yet got a sight or sense of the loue of the Father but by the Sonne Hee who neuer saw the Lord Iesus sawe neuer the loue of God because hee is the splendor of his glory and the image of the inuisible God The Iewes may striue to see the Father but neuer shall they see him till they turne them to the Sonne What man is hee that euer felt the loue of God without Christ And what dow a sinner without a sense of loue and mercy Looke if it will not passe thy power to haue any sense of the loue of God without Iesus Christ but when the heart is drawne to looke to him by fayth in Christ then thou shalt get such a sweetnesse rest and joy as cannot be vttered What meaneth this It meaneth that the mercy that is layed vp for sinners it is layed vp in Christ So let vs addresse our selues to Christ and thorowe him wee shall haue accesse to the deepnesse of that grace in God That then is the vantage they shall get who loueth him to wit they shall be met with a two-fold loue Now lest they should think this loue but fectlesse as is the loue of the creature he telleth them what fruit shall come to them there thorow If the Father shall loue you I then I shall show mine owne selfe to you I shall giue you mine owne presence So there is the profit that redoundeth of the loue of the Father and of
God in Christ more than the tongue can tell Looke Ephes 3. vers 18.19 No Paul nor all the Apostles could not tell the loue that Christ beareth to men and women that are sinners and in this life we cannot be capable of it nor yet in the life to come when we shal haue a thousand times a greater sense for it is infinit then we shal bee astonished and wonder at it but wee shall bee filled with it there where God shall bee all in all Abide and walke in fayth till thou meet with him and thou shalt find this to be true Nowe I shall ende Lest they should haue thought that the loue they should beare to Christ should bee fectlesse and should bee closed in and smoared in the heart and not shine into world the Lord saieth If yee keepe my Commaundementes yee shall abide in my loue Thinke not that the loue of Christ can bee in the heart of a man or woman and then bee ydle and if wee loue a person wee must doe him good So if a man or woman loue Christ they will goe about night and daye to please him and to obey his blessed will and his Commaundementes And if a man haue no will to obeye God it is sure there is no loue in the heart Well I say thou who liuest not an holie life in that great daye that will testifie against thee that thou neuer louedst Iesus Christ So take heede our hand bee answerable to our profession of loue that good deedes maye followe it for if thou bee ydle thou hast no loue One thing I marke heere Vpon what grounde doeth our obedience to Christ arise The first ground the loue that a man beareth to Christ bringeth out obedience Yet there is an higher ground J haue loued you saieth Christ therefore abide in my loue The loue that Iesus Christ beareth to a sinner bringeth out that mutuall loue wee beare to him When yee see a man set to keepe the Commaundementes of God and blessed is that soule that so doeth I saye surelie yee may by all appearance conclude that that soule loueth Christ And farder surely it appeareth of this obedience that God loueth this person well and that is a better loue and a stronger ground than is all his loue to God and certainlie the Lord will loue that man exceeding well whome hee will imploy in his seruice Blessed is that creature whome the Lord will imploy in his seruice in this life whatsoeuer calling it be into and of all blessinges in this life there is the first when wee know the Lord hath chosen vs to such a turne and giue him thanks therefore 1. Timoth. Chap. 1. vers 12. Paul being imployed in that Ministerie saieth I thanke my God that hee hath counted me faithfull to imploy me in that Ministerie So blessed is the seruant who can serue Iesus Christ yea hee is more happie that can serue Iesus Christ than he were a King of the worlde whosoeuer serueth him whomsoeuer he imployeth in his seruice he shall giue him a rich rewarde Let this therefore bee the strife and endeuour of euery one of vs to serue him Nowe in the latter parte of the tenth verse to the end that they should shew that loue they bare to him by keeping his Commandementes hee layeth out his owne example As I sayeth hee haue kept the Commaundementes of my Father and abide in his loue that is Loue mee as I haue loued my Father the loue that I beare to my Father is obedience to him so bee ye obedient to mee if ye loue me So yee see Brethren hee layeth out his example of loue and obedience to his Father to bee followed by his Disciples Marke this The Lord Iesus is the liueliest example of loue and obedience that euer was or shall be in the world There was neuer such a loue as the Sonne bare to his Father neuer one so obedient as he wasâ— he obeyed his equall Philip. 2. vers 6.7.8 He being in the forme of God he thought it no robbery to be equall with God Yet hee thought it no shame to humble himself to become humble to the death of the Crosse Yea hee not onely submitted himselfe to his equall but also to his inferiours Hee washed his Disciples feete John 13. Hee humbled himselfe to the world to serue the world Rom. Chap. 15. vers 3. As the Lord is the true patterne of loue and obedience so is it needefull that his example bee aye laide out before our eyes for except wee see it there is not such a thing that any man can bee truely humbled to obey God for it is the obedience of Iesus Christ and fayth in him that reformeth the heart of a sinner and maketh of a proude heart an humbled heart and if thou take not a gripe of that Crosse by fayth thine heart shall abide vnreformed till it bee put into Hell The tongue of man is not able to tell what grace we haue in the obedience of Christ We haue not onely saluation and justification thorow his obedience but we haue also his obedience to learne vs what obedience wee should giue to him and what we should giue to God Learne at me to be humble sayth the Lord Matth. 11. vers 29. Marke another thing concerning this matter Whilest he is exhorting to loue and to the keeping of his Commandement hee giueth himselfe an example most liuely of that thing wherevnto hee exhorteth them This is a lesson for all others who teach into the Kirke of Christ whatsoeuer doctrine they teach let them not onely bee speakers but doers of that which they teach otherwayes they will destroy more with their life than they are able to build vp with their doctrine In the next verse hee concludeth all this and setteth downe the end of his exhortation These thinges haue I spoken to you thay my joye might abide in you and that your joye might bee full All is for your weale that ye may be replenished with joy all mine exhortations tend to your joy The end of Christ is joy indeed hee beginneth with a sadnesse and heauinesse Learne how yee shall come to him the first step by the which the sinner commeth to Christ is by repentance by the sight of sinne and that bringeth sadnesse vvith it but frae once the sinner hath gotten that sight of Christ then the heart is full of joy and departeth with joy and all the speach the Lord speaketh to a sinner is to put joye into the heart of the sinner whatsoeuer displeasure the sinner hath in the meane time yet all is for this that in the ende hee should rejoyce And the ende of the speaches hee speaketh to his Disciples exhorting them to that vnion and good workes and loue and obedience and societie and communion with Christ is joye Good workes bring joye in the ende The loue of Christ filleth the heart vvith joye there was neuer the like of it essay it and see
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
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
bee the sense of the loue of God Therefore let vs striue to feele the sense chiefelie of that mercie and that loue and then our knowledge shall bee joyfull and pleasant vnto vs. But heere I aske a question Beganne God to loue vs then onelie when wee beganne to knowe him Beganne not God to loue euerie one of vs before wee knewe him Appearinglie in this place as it would seeme hee maketh the loue of God to beginne and flowe of the knowledge of God The aunswere is easie Looke the wordes hee sayeth That thy loue may bee in them It is true from all eternitie ere euer wee were in the worlde I speake of the Chosen hee loued vs and of loue hee choosed vs and hee loued vs after wee came into the worlde When wee were enemies to him hee loued vs. But marke againe Brethren The loue of God is neuer in vs but without vs till wee knowe him and haue fayth in Iesus Christ That is the meaning Neuer one feeleth in their heart that God loueth them but hee who knoweth God Hee loueth thee but thou feelest it not till thou hast gotten knowledge and then when thou hast gotten knowledge thou beginnest to feele it and to haue a sense of that loue in thine heart And this is it that the Apostle sayeth Rom. 5. vers 5. The loue of God is shed abroade in our heartes through that holie Spirite which is giuen vs. Before wee gette that knowledge there is no shedding abroade of that loue in the heart But when thou gettest the knowledge of God and fayth in Iesus Christ then thou feelest that loue with a sweetnesse and joye vnspeakeable Experience may tell vs this Thou that hast not gotten fayth in Iesus Christ at anie time and knowest not God I appeale thy conscience if euer thou hast felt the loue of God Sayest thou that thou feelest Gods loue I dare saye that thou feelest it not And by the contrarie when men and women knowe God and finde fayth in Iesus Christ from whome all grace floweth and distilleth into our soules they shall finde in experience with the knowledge such a sweete sense of loue that the tongue of man nor Angel cannot expresse And therefore as euer thou wouldest feele the loue of God What pleasure canst thou haue without that sense as euer thou wouldest haue joye and comfort in thine heart in the middest of the miseries of this world learne to know God assuring thy selfe that before thou get the sight and knowledge of God in Iesus Christ thou shalt neuer get the sense of loue Striue to see God haue faith in Iesus Christ and the farther sight thou gettest of him thy delight shall bee to pierce in more and more into the mysterie of thy saluation and I promise thee in his Name that sense and feeling shall increase and the more thou seest and knowest the more thou shalt feele that loue of God So wouldest thou haue joye and comfort striue to see Christ and thinke not that thou canst see enough Now would to God wee had the halfe of that desire to looke into the face of Iesus Christ that we haue of worldly things For al our blessednes and comfort standeth in this to look into the face of Iesus Christ that the beams which strike out from him may shine in our souls In the last words he sayth And I in them He commendeth this presence of the loue of God in their harts by the presence of Christ himselfe who accompanieth it as if hee had sayde So shall it bee seene if thy loue bee in them that I am in them These two are inseparable Companions the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne in the heart Is the loue of the Father in thine heart Then IESES CHRIST is there And by the contrarie is IESVS CHRIST into thine heart then the loue of the Father is into thine heart these two goe inseparable together and where the one lodgeth the other must bee there also Blessed are they that feele the loue of God for Christ is with them in their heartes for one grace draweth on another And if thy God loue thee the glorious Spirite shall bee with thee A question here may bee moued There are two Companions heere the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne but which of them is first Whether is the presence of the Sonne or the loue of God in thine heart first I answere Howbeit they bee in thine heart together in one moment of time yet the one in order is before the other And first Iesus Christ taketh possession in thine heart ere the loue of the Father bee in thine heart And because Iesus Christ is entered into thine heart therefore the loue of the Father is into thine heart Before Christ came into thine heart there was neuer grace in it all the grace all the peace and all the joy and all the comfort that is in the heart of a sinner followeth on Christ Christ commeth first and then all grace commeth in after him Hee is neuer him alone but peace joye and gladnesse accompany him then followeth that joye when hee commeth Looke Rom. 5. vers 5. hee telleth vs this order when hee hath said Because when wee were enemies Christ died for vs Because Christ died for thee hee loued thee And thinkest thou that thou wouldest feele that loue of God if Christ had not died for thee and except thou imbrace in thine heart that death by a liuelie fayth Goe to experience What is hee or shee that will feele that loue of God that endlesse comfort or that peace or joye who belieueth not in Iesus Christ It shall passe thy power to feele anie joye before thou feele that Christ died for thee Therefore I beseech thee gripe greedilie to Iesus Christ that hee may dwell in thine heart Nowe yee may aske at mee Howe is Christ in the heart Is not Christ bodilie present at the right hand of the Father How then sayeth hee And I in them Howe can thine heart gette him vvho is in Heauen The answere is easie The Lord Iesus dwelleth in the heart of man and woman by fayth Belieuest thou in him Reacheth thine heart thorowe the Heauens to get a gripe of him If thou belieue as Paul sayeth Ephes 3. vers 17. Christ dwelleth in thee if thine heart bee set on him and if thou belieue that hee died and is risen for thee thou hast him dwelling in thee And thinke yee Brethren that CHRIST can bee in any man or woman but they feele him No where CHRIST is hee is liuing in the heart and that is a glorious life If hee bee in thine heart by fayth there hee is liuing and as hee is liuing in thee so shall hee make thee to liue another life than this life hee shall make thee to liue an Heauenlie and Spirituall life as the Apostle PAVL saith in the second CHAPTER to the GALATIANS and the twentieth VERS I liue no more sayeth hee it is not I that liueth I am dead but IESVS CHRIST liueth in mee And what more The life that I liue in the fleshe and in this mortall bodie I liue it by fayth in the Sonne of GOD who hath loued mee and giuen his owne selfe for mee Is IESVS CHRIST in thine heart by fayth looke the effectes first thou art dead this mortall life is mortified the olde man is slaine If IESVS CHRIST bee in thee hee will slaye this sinfull life for our life naturallie is but a pudling in sinne and wickednesse when hee liueth within thee hee beareth the rule and not the olde man And what more As hee liueth within thee so hee giueth thee another life an Heauenlie and a glorious life Hee beginneth within thee that life which thou shalt liue with him in the Heauens where there is no more mortalitie nor no corruption So all tendeth to this Wouldest thou haue life wouldest thou haue grace in thine heart wouldest thou feele that vnspeakeable loue in thy vaine heart For that is a vaine heart which is not reformed and lieth dead in sinne and is not reuiued and quickened with the life of IESVS CHRIST Wouldest thou haue all this in this life and in that life euerlasting In a worde Wouldest thou reigne in glorie Striue to gette IESVS CHRIST in thine heart and when thou hast gotten him keepe him well and if once thou gettest him thou shalt gette one of the moste glorious thinges that euer was euen the loue of the Father wherein is all sweetnesse That loue of the Father shall flowe downe to thee and with the same loue wherewith the Father loueth the Sonne the Father of IESES CHRIST shall loue thee Well howe commeth all grace vnto vs Euen by IESVS CHRIST the Father powreth on all grace vpon the Sonne our Head Nowe hee bieng the Head and wee the bodie that precious ointment and fulnesse of all grace which is on him floweth downe on vs. So that grace is first powred out on the Sonne thine Head and then it floweth from the Head to the members so that there is not one member of that bodie but it getteth a share though it were neuer so sober a member and if it were but a foote Nowe blessed is hee or shee that is a member of that bodie And blessed is the soule that hath in it the loue of the FATHER in IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holy SPIRIT bee all Honour and Prayse for euermore AMEN ΤΩ ΘΕΩ ΔΟΞΑ A H
I to you That euerie one of you loue another Being to depart out of this vvorlde this is the speciall Commandement hee leaueth to his Disciples That in his absence euerie one of them shoulde loue one another So this is the chiefe Commaundement the LORD hath left vs till his comming againe That euerie one of vs shoulde loue one another and euerie one of vs shoulde beare the burthen of another If vvee doe not this in the absence of the LORD vvhen hee commeth againe vvee shall not bee able to abide a triall of him or to render an account to him of our doing But to come to the Commaund The meaning is as the Lord would say As ye would protest before the worlde yee loue mee make it knowne in mine absence by keeping my Commaundementes Nowe Brethren to insist vpon this matter more at large Yee knowe this A seruant who loueth his Master well hee will bee about to doe all thinges that can pleasure his Master his vvhole endeuour will bee to doe the will of his Master and chiefely in the absence of his Master when hee hath gone farre from home at that time chiefely hee will kythe his loue to his Master in doing his turnes with pleasure Howbeit loue as the Apostle sayeth 1. Thessal 13. bee painfull yet if a man haue a true loue in his heart hee will haue a great pleasure also Loue hath paine but with the paine it hath pleasure It will not take care what paine or what tribulation it haue So this seruant doing the will of his Master in his absence will testifie to the worlde that hee loueth his Master To draw this to our purpose Brethren The Lord Iesus the Lord of the worlde is gone out of the worlde as it were to a farre Countrey to the Heauen and hath left vs all behinde him yea hee hath left vs here in the Earth and hee is absent from vs in the Heauen Hee is a gracious Master and woe to him vvho is not his seruant Then wee being his seruants and we loue him there will bee nothing that is his will but wee will bee about to doe it and hee that loueth him heere in the Earth because the LORD is absent according to his bodie in the Heauen hee will bee the more earnest to pleasure him in his calling and to doe the turnes of the Lord Iesus in his absence Hee who loueth him will employe his whole senses and force and power to pleasure him as Paul sayd 2 Cor. 5.14 The loue of the Lord Iesus constraineth mee and bindeth vp my soule I say more In suffering all extreamities for the Lord the Fire the Sworde and it were a thousande deathes hee will haue a greater joye and pleasure than anie man will haue in doing anie turne for a man whome hee loueth well Then woulde anie man kythe that loue hee heareth to the Lord Iesus in his absence And vvho amongst vs vvill not saye Wee loue the Lord Iesus Wouldest thou then kythe this loue Doe heartilie his will It is not enough to loue in worde but indeede Loue not in worde onelie sayth the Apostle Iohn in his first Epistle Chap. 3. Vers 18. for it is the heart must doe the Lord seruice So and thou wouldest loue the Lord Iesus doe his will and that is Loue thy neighbour And thou bee a murderer of thy neighbour and then saye I loue the LORD IESVS I saye thou lyest and the Lord sayeth it also Wilt thou oppresse the poore members of the Lord Iesus and say thou louest the Lord Iesus I say thou art a lyar Good works kythe the loue in the heart The groūd of Murder hatred c. that is betwixt man man is the hatred of the Lord Iesus So the groūd of all sin is the hatred of the Lord in the heart Matth. 24.40 vvhere the Lord speaketh of good seruants and euill seruants hee sayth The good seruant who in the absence of his Master preassed to doe all thinges to pleasure his Master when his Master commeth home at that houre he knew not so the Lord will come when we looke not for him and findeth the good seruant doing his will will blesse him and make him Ruler of all his goods Blessed is hee who serueth the Lord in a small vocation What doeth the other seruant He is striking the rest of the Familie Woe to that seruant saith hee he will bee casten out and his part will bee with the hypocrites who was but an hypocrite in his Masters house If we bee well occupied and wayting aye for the home-comming of the Lord Iesus if we be well occupied in directing our life to him and his glory blessed shall wee be and wee shall get a portion with him in glory But if we be euill occupied in oppression and in wickednesse he shall cast vs out of his Familie To put an end to this mater In any vocation we should al go about to pleasure our Master in the Heauen and preasse to kythe it in our workes that in our hearts we haue loued the Lord Iesus Wordes will not auaile and thou couldest tell all the Scriptures it auaileth not without doing Let vs all therefore striue to make manifest that wee haue not only an outward shew and profession of loue but that it is fixed and setled in our hearts as euer wee would desire to finde comfort and joye in that great day of the appearance of our Lord Iesus To whome with the Father and the Holy Spirite bee all prayse honour and glory now and foreuer Amen THE FIFT LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 16.17.18 16 And I will pray the Father and hee shall giue you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for euer 17 Euen the Spirit of Trueth whome the worlde cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee knowe him for hee dwelleth with you and shall bee in you 18 I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come to you WEE haue heard Beloued Brethren in this Chapter how the Lord Iesus being to leaue the world to ascend to his Father hath set himselfe partly to comfort his Disciples who were sad for his departure and sundry argumentes of consolation hath hee giuen them and partly to exhort them The first exhortation ye heard was That they should belieue in him and that the Father was in him and hee in the Father That is that hee and the Father were one in substance glory and Maiestie and that the Godhead dwelt in the nature of man bodilie And to proue this hee vsed an argument taken from the workes that hee wrought At least belieue mee sayeth hee for the verie workes sake which I worke That is Supposing there vvere none other argument to mooue you to belieue that I am in the Father and the Father in mee yet let the verie workes wherein the properties of God are so clearlie manifested mooue you to belieue Another
Weigh the wordes for they are weighty Peace I leaue you sayeth the Lord No question hee alludeth to that common fashion of salutation that was vsed amongst the Iewest in their meetinges and departinges wherein they wished peace one to another by the which word they vnderstood all kind of prosperitie in thinges earthly and heauenly So the Lord would say I am now to depart from you but I leaue something behind mee to you to wit my blessing prosperity for euer Now least it should haue bene thought that he left peace vnto them no other wayes than the men of this world vse to do he subjoyneth My peace I giue you There is an emphasis in these wordes My peace and I giue you it As the Lord would saye Men may well wish peace to men but it lieth in no mans hands to giue peace there is no Angel in Heauen able to giue peace but I sayeth the Lord shall giue you it I am not only sayth the Lord a wisher but a giuer There is no man able to giue his owne peace because no man hath peace to giue Men may wish peace from God as to the Philipp 4.7 It is called the peace of God None of the Apostles will say My peace but the peace of God and therefore hee is called the God of peace Rom. 16.20 The Lord Iesus hath peace to giue as the Father hath peace Yea more he would signifie by this peace not a common sort of peace but an inwarde peace of conscience the rest to the soule of a sinner that peace that passeth all vnderstanding Philipp Chap. 4. Vers 7. The rest of the soule as ye may reade in Matthewes Gospel Chap. 11. Vers 29. where Christ sayeth Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you and yee shall finde rest to your soules Take this peace away there is no rest to the soule This peace is called Christes peace because it floweth from him immediately till vs that wee may haue a good conscience that we may haue assurance of the remission of our sinnes for herein standeth chiefelv a good conscience when it sayeth thy sinnes are freely forgiuen thee Wee knowe this good conscience standeth in fayth thorow the blood of CHRIST Take awaye the blood of CHRIST there is no conscience that is good Heb. 9.14 The blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God that is it purgeth vs from our sins So ye see this that all the joy of the soule floweth from the blood of Christ Iesus and therefore worthily he calleth it his peace because it commeth thorow his blood vvithout the which peace there is no rest howbeit yee had all the peace of all the Princes of the worlde Let the Traytors haue the Kinges peace and let them vvant this peace let them passe as they will they haue no peace Yet he insisteth the third time and subjoyneth Not as the worlâ—e giueth giue I it He marketh the manner of the giuing and maketh an exposition of the giuing of it Worldly men will take vpon them to giue peace but the worldes peace is but for a fashion the mouth will wish peace and the heart will curse this is the peace of the world That peace of the world is so fectlesse that scarcelie vvill a man wish that peace from his heart As the Lord woulde say I speake not only with my mouth but from mine heart I wish it and I shall effectuate it indeede A man may wish well but it vvanteth effect Yee see now this three-folde repetition Will yee vveigh the words yee shall finde a wonderfull intier loue and vnspeakeable heartinesse vttered by the Lord in his Farewell These vvords let vs see that he not only leaueth peace and loue behinde him but his very heart Besides all the grace wee haue of Iesus Christ they who loue Christ they haue his heart Looke how tenderly he loueth faythfull men howbeit hee bee in the Heauen yet he leaueth them his very heart and inwarde affection there is an vnspeakeable loue Now when he hath taken his good-night he concludes Seeing I haue left you peace and I giue you it vvhat then needeth you to bee troubled Marke then this conclusion Where the peace of the Lord is not there the soule of man hath no rest there is nothing but trouble and griefe there It is true great sinners vvho vvill haue no part of Iesus Christ vvill haue some kind of rest and who vvill bee so merry as they Bloody murderers vvicked blasphemers and vile adulterers vvill by appearance haue peace But Brethren this is but a false peace and assuredly it is better a thousand times to haue an vnquiet and restlesse soule than to haue a secure life for a senselesse carnall security is a sure token of a sudden judgement to come Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 5. Vers 3. sayeth When they say there is peace and safety then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauell vpon a vvoman with child and they shall not escape The loune will bid cloze the yates and bid watch let him bid as hee vvill the judgement of God shall not passe by him and his yates shall not holde out the wrath of God but it shall come on him as the paine commeth on a woman in the time of her birth So in one vvorde they who want this peace they haue no peace No peace to the wicked Isai 57. By the contrary vvhen the Lord Iesus giueth peace to the heart of a sinfull man or woman vvhose heart is troubled then the heart of a sinner hath peace I put the case that a man were in great danger euen at deaths doore yea and he were in the fire and the Lord Iesus giue him his peace and saye I giue thee my peace then the soule shall be in exceeding joye Tyrantes haue marueiled that the Martyres who suffered for Iesus should haue had such a joye as they had So if the Lord Iesus will once say My peace I giue you then the soule will rest on him with such a joye as is vnspeakeable So the Apostles felt this indeede In one vvorde the peace of Iesus Christ guardeth the soule and maketh it sure as Paul sayeth to the Philipp Cha. 4. Vers 7. Thus farre now hath the Lord comforted his Disciples Nowe in the next Verse hee beginneth to speake more sharply and hee as it were findeth fault with them that they loued him not well enough and they vttered it in that they were so grieued and displeased at his departure This forme that the Lord vseth teacheth vs this that in comforting of heauy hearted sinners Who should bee comforted but the heauy hearted thou vse gentle reproofes for the heart that is heauy and sad vvill hardly take consolation but will delite in sadnesse Looke howe yee shall comfort them not to holde vp the heart aye with comfort but reproue it with some piece
loue the Lord and thou shalt finde such a joye as the worlde knoweth not loue Christ and thou shalt haue a good conscience and a good conscience bringeth with it joye rest and peace So the ende of all is joye to the heart of a sinner the vnion with Christ bringeth with it an vnspeakeable joy Reade 1. John 1. vers 4. After he hath beene speaking of the communion with the Father and the Sonne hee subjoyneth These things write I vnto you that your ioye might bee full And if wee bee not in societie with that blessed Trinitie wee haue no matter of ioye and therefore we should euer striue to get a communion with that blessed Trinitie for therein standeth the happinesse of man Nowe to marke the wordes more narrowly hee tearmeth it first His joye then hee tearmeth it Their joye so it is both the ioye of Christ and also of his Disciples but in diuerse respectes It is the ioye of Christ because hee is the giuer of it all ioye proceedeth of Iesus Christ It is our ioye because it belongeth to vs and is giuen vs. So then what is the ioye of a Christian man Learne it heere It is nothing but the participation of that heauenly ioye that is in God God is full of ioye and his whole nature is ioye the ioye that one hath who belieueth in Christ is a part of that diuine nature 2. Epist of Peter Chap. 1. vers 4. of that ioye that passeth all vnderstanding there is the felicitie of man to get apart of that infinite ioye The Philosophers disputed much about the felicitie of man some of them placed it in pleasure the generall is not euill but here they failed that they placed it in a beastly pleasure Indeede it standeth in the participation of that ioye of God begun in this life and perfected in the Heauen when wee shall see Christ Iesus face to face The ioy we haue here is mingled with sorrow and for one ioyfull houre we haue aye ten sad but then all teares shall be wiped away from our eyes when God shall bee all in all and shall be filling the soules of his owne with ioye In the next verse hee commeth to the other grounde of good works The loue to man the first was the loue of God thinke not that thou canst doe a good thing and if thou loue not thy neighbour The wordes are This is my Commandement That yee loue one another as I haue loued you Loue will not stand on one side onely but it must bee mutuall otherwayes thou canst not stand in that societie either with God or with man Yee heard before this of the Lord If ye abide in my Commandements ye shall abide in my loue So the loue of Iesus Christ is to keep his Commandements This Commandement is not so much the CoÌ„mandement of the first Table as the CoÌ„mandement of the second Table The true touch-stone whereby is tried whether thou louest God or not in thine heart as is coÌ„manded in the first Table is the loue to thy neighbour which is coÌ„manded in the second Table so that if thou wilt stand vp say I loue God God will answere Louest thou thy neighbour if â—e find an hatred in thine heart to thy neighbour he will answere Thou louest me not Hee who hateth his neighbour hateth God Well let men continue on in murder wrongfull dealing stand vp say We loue God they lie Mark another thing there appears here a wonderfull loue the Lord beares to his members on earth no tong can expresse it That loue the creature would vtter to him he will haue it turned ouer on his members in the earth I meane not as though the Lord would haue none of our loue to himselfe or regarded it not so bade vs loue one another No for he deliteth exceedinglie to be loued by vs But that loue wee beare to him hee biddeth vs kythe it on his members and doe good to them And what is the cause that the Lord biddeth vs loue his members The Lord himselfe is perfect Our Head is full of all felicitie but as for the members they haue great need of things spirituall and temporal So the Head is not to bee benefited by vs but the best member though hee were a King hath neede to be holpen and the beggar may helpe him And so seeing He hath no need he turneth the benefite of our loue ouer to vs his members who haue need therof Dauid professeth this Psal 16. vers 2.3 Help me Lord he saith And lest the Lord should answere What good canst thou doe mee he meeteth this I cannot doe thee good my well-doing extendeth not to thee thou art all sufficient but Lord keepe mee to thy Sainctes on the earth howbeit my good cannot helpe thee yet Lord keepe me to thy Saincts Farder ye see he requireth mutuall loue for except loue be mutuall men cannot bee united the members of that body are conjoyned with loue albeit thou bee loued yet if thou loue not againe thou art not of the body When he hath exhorted them to loue one another hee setteth downe his owne example As I haue loued you euery one of you loue another Seeing hee loued them so well why should not they loue one another As before when he exhorted them to loue him that is to loue God hee laide downe before them his owne example so now hee exhorteth them to loue their neighbour by his example Wee learne by this the Lord Iesus is the liuely example of all true loue either to God or to man and the example of the loue of Christ is needefull to moue vs to loue man in this worlde so that except we sensibly find that loue of his in our heartes there shall bee no spunke of true loue to man in the heart for why all this loue we beare to God and to man ariseth vpon the feeling of that loue of Christ shed abroad in our hearts hee must warme our heartes by his loue and then shall arise the loue of God and of man Except a man feele that God loue him hee cannot loue for our loue is but a repercution of that loue wherewith hee striketh on our hearts Then in the next verse he layeth out the loue he bare to them in the owne greatnesse and that by comparison No man can haue a greater loue than this that he lay downe his life for his friend but I haue laide downe my life for you there yee see what a loue I beare to you The greatest token of loue in the worlde is when a man is content to lay downe his life for another Indeede it is a great token of loue when a tender friende will laye downe his life for his friend Rom. 5. vers 7. Scarcely will a man lay downe his life for the just but when a man will be content to giue his life for his enemy that is a greater token of loue there is not such a token
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
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
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
That as the Father and the Sonne are one not onelie in that mutuall loue but in that verie Godhead substance and essence that is that vnitie one GOD the Father the Sonne and the Holie Spirite so wee also are one Nowe it is not required that wee bee one in essence but one in heartes and soules that is to saye Let euerie one of vs loue another let peace bee amongst vs and in this point wee must represent GOD and this is that vnitie that our heartes bee joyned with others in loue No man is knitte to CHRIST or yet to the Father but in loue and when wee are knitte vnto them our heartes are knitte euerie one to another So in one worde when wee see loue amongst men and especiallie amongst Christians when wee see their heartes joyned in loue wee may saye The Father keepeth these because they are in vnitie one with another and hee hath a care ouer them or else they coulde neuer haue this vnitie of minds in loue And where there is nothing but dissention and euerie one byting and backe-byting another they are not in the custodie of GOD for if they were in his keeping they woulde bee one as the Father and the Sonne are one So in one worde the LORDES care is not ouer those Therefore as euer yee woulde bee sure that the LORD hath a care ouer you looke that yee haue an vnitie amongst your selues And this is it that the Apostle Paul moste recommendeth vnto vs an vnitie of minde So as wee woulde testifie vs to bee the members of IESVS CHRIST let vs bee in vnitie with our neighbour for by this wee testifie to the worlde that wee are GODS and giuen to IESVS CHRIST and where there is no loue no amitie there the members are not joyned with the Head and wee haue no part with CHRIST for where fayth is there is loue and where fayth is there the members will concur together in vnitie of minde The LORD giue vs fayth in IESVS CHRIST in whome standeth all our happinesse and felicitie and to whome with the Father and the Holie Spirite bee all honour prayse power and dominion for euermore AMEN THE XXII LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 12.13.14.15 12 While J was with them in the worlde I kept them in my Name those that thou giuest mee haue I kept and none of them is lost but the childe of perdition that the Scripture might bee fulfilled 13 And nowe come J to thee and these thinges speake I in the worlde that they might haue my joye fulfilled in themselues 14 I haue giuen them thy worde and the worlde hath hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the worlde but that thou keepe them from euill IN the second part of this Prayer Welbeloued in the Lord Iesus the Lord being to depart out of this life and to rise againe and to ascend vp to the Heauens he recommendeth his Disciples whome he was to leaue behinde him to the keeping and preseruation of the Father To this purpose hee hath sundry arguments and reasons First sayeth he I haue manifested thy Name to them therefore Father keepe them Then Thou hast chosen them out of the worlde from all eternitie therefore Father keepe them Then They were thine therefore Father keepe thine owne And againe Thou hast giuen them to mee therefore keepe them And againe They haue kept thy worde and belieued in mee that thou hast sent mee therefore keepe them And againe I am glorified in them therefore keepe them And last of all I am to leaue them behinde mee in the worlde therefore keepe them These arguments and reasons wee haue heard Nowe hee goeth forwarde and addeth to the eight reason beginning at the Text which wee haue read The eight reason is from his owne keeping of his Disciples while hee abode with them in the world While J was with them in the worlde I kept them in thy Name and saued them And those whome thou gauest to mee I haue kept so that there is not one of them lost saue one the sonne of perdition meaning Iudas that the Scripture might mee fulfilled euen that Scripture which fore-tolde of his destruction therefore I kept them so long as I was with them Now Father I recommende them vnto thee and I put them into thine hand Yet the words would bee better weighed This keeping of his Disciples he amplifieth by sundry circumstances The first circumstance is A carefulnesse diligence and earnestnesse in keeping them This carefulnesse appeareth in doubling of the words hee is not content to say once J haue kept them but he sayth it ouer again The Sonne of God the Lord Iesus whom he keepeth hee keepeth them faithfully and carefully not slackly but diligently night and day his eye is vpon them and as hee himselfe sayth O Hierusalem as the Henne gathereth her Birdes vnder her winges so would I haue done to thee And no doubt the Lord gathereth his owne vnder the wings of his grace and keepeth them after a most tender and intiere fashion of keeping So wee may learne at his example those whom God hath concredited vnto vs to be kept in this world by vs whether they bee in our Familie whether they be in the Kirke of God or whether they bee in the Policie or Commonwealth wheresoeuer they be one or moe how many or how few they be who are concredited vnto vs and giuen out of the hand of God to be kept and defended in this world by vs. Wee learne heere by the example of Christ to keepe them so carefullie and faithfullie that they lose not in our hand The Prophet sayeth Woe to them that doeth the worke of the Lord negligentlie and slacklie Ierem. 48. vers 10. There hee meaneth Who slayeth not and wracketh not as the Lord commandeth to slay and wracke Therefore much more shall woe curse appertaine vnto them who keepeth not them faithfully whom the Lord hath concredited vnto them and commandeth them to keepe If woe was denounced against them who slewe not and wracked not at the commandement of the Lord a double woe shall appertaine vnto them who neglecteth them whom the Lord hath concredited to their charge Nowe I come to the seconde circumstance J haue kept them in they Name that is to say By thy vertue and power All the power that the Sonne hath hee hath it giuen him of the Father and all the power that the Sonne hath is the power of the Father and therefore he acknowledgeth the keeping of these Disciples to be by the power of the Father and so he glorifieth his Father in Heauen The Sonne in any thing that he doth he euer glorifieth the Father Who is he in this world who is able to keepe a soule by his owne power Who hath power in his own hand to keepe a body or a Child or
knowledge of the SONNE I haue knowne thee And then hee commeth forwarde They haue knowne that thou hast sent mee And then I haue manifested thy Name vnto them What is the ground of our knowledge in this life The knowledge of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God which he hath of the Father What if hee had not knowne the Father Wee would neuer haue gotten a sight of God For why All the knowledge that wee haue is by the reuelation of the Sonne of God hee is not borne on the face of the Earth that hath or euer shall gette the sight of God but by the reuelation of the Sonne So manie as the Sonne reuealed him vnto gotte the sight of the Father But on the contrarie whome to the Sonne reuealed not the Father hee gotte neuer nor neuer shall gette a sight of him First the Sonne knoweth and then the Sonne reuealed that knowledge vnto vs in some measure What is the knowledge that the Sonne hath reuealed vnto vs Reuealeth hee vnto vs the Father immediatelie No no The first thing that the Sonne reuealeth to vs is his own person the first sight that thou must see is the Sonne and therefore when hee speaketh of their knowledge hee sayeth They haue knowne that thou hast sent mee And then hee commeth to the other knowledge the knowledge of the Father J haue made manifest thy Name vnto them The first thing that the Sonne of God reuealeth is the knowledge of himselfe That hee is that Ambassadour and that Mediatour And when hee hath reuealed himselfe then hee reuealeth the Father And all the sight that we haue of the Father is in the person of the Sonne for hee is the splendor of his glorie and the expresse forme of his Father and hee by his holie Spirite illuminateth the soules of men and women to gette a sight of that Majestie So the ground of our knowledge is the knowledge that the Sonne hath of the Father Therefore as euer thou wouldest haue the sight of that knowledge addresse thy selfe to Iesus Christ and in him thou shalt see the Father and his glorious face and thou shalt see that glauncing and shining of mercie in him Now he is not content to set down that knowledge which they haue already but he promiseth that they shall haue it farther Yee see then the Disciples got not the knowledge of the Father in a moment and at once but the Disciples of Iesus Christ euen the Apostles whom the Lord appointed to bee instruments of grace to vs whose works we haue and who were the light of the world grew in knowledge and faith piece and piece and had not all reâ—ealed at once but by his word and Spirit piece and piece GOD reuealed all to them The knowledge of God is not gotten in an instant in this worlde and the Lord himselfe who is the giuer of that knowledge he giueth it to no man nor woman in an instant but piece and piece the man or the woman groweth in knowledge so long as wee are clogged with this mortalitie so long the knowledge of God shall neuer bee perfect Therefore let euerie man if hee haue a pleasure to seeke God trie that grouth that hee hath in knowledge That is a vaine soule and a miserable soule which will stand vp and say I haue knowledge enough I will goe no farther Knowledge must haue a grouth in this worlde Woe is that man that will saye I will set downe my staffe as though hee would haue no more knowledge Thou wist neuer what joye was in the knowledge of God who wilt saye thus if thou hadst a loue of it thine heart would seeke to gette the full knowledge of God for that heart will not bee content of a meane measure of knowledge but goeth forwarde from knowledge to knowledge Seeing it is Life as the Lord sayeth This is Life eternall to knowe thee and whome thou hast sent IESVS CHRIST If once thou tastedst of that knowledge of God in Iesus Christ thou wouldest neuer saye I will set downe my staffe Let aye a continuall strife bee to knowe more and more till this fayth bee turned into sight when wee shall meete with our Lord Iesus Christ then wee shall gette that sweete and joyfull sight to see him face to face therefore let vs not rest till wee gette that full illumination Another thing is to bee marked heere Whome once the Lord hath begunne to instruct man or woman hee leaueth not off If Christ beginne to teach thee by his Spirite hee teacheth not as men will teach who will teach this yeere and leaue off the next yeere But if hee take a man or a woman in hande continuallie hee teacheth them And if this bee true that continuallie hee reuealeth and teacheth that is also true there is no man nor woman who hath begunne to gette knowledge by his teaching but that man or woman must growe and cannot goe backe It is a vaine thing to saye A man or a woman who hath gotten true fayth in some measure although it were no greater than a graine of Mustard-seede that hee can lose the fayth which hee hath once gotten As Iesus Christ cannot rest in thy soule but aye goe forwarde till fayth bee turned into sight so I saye thus to refute those who say that they who haue gotten true fayth can lose it hee that hath gotten the holie Spirite can neuer lose him When hee hath sette downe before the Father first his knowledge of the Father and secondlie the knowledge that the Disciples had of the Father partlie that which they had presentlie and partlie that which was to come nowe hee commeth to the ende and sayeth All this is to the ende That thy loue may bee in them and I in them All this knowledge of God and all this fayth in Iesus Christ looke to the ende of it all tendeth to this ende That God may loue vs and wee may feele in our heartes this loue of God Therefore Brethren marke it well Count not of knowledge euen of the knowledge of God except that thou feelest the loue of God following vpon it looke that all thy knowledge of God bee with a sense and feeling of this loue that God loueth thee Whereto serueth the knowledge of God vnto thee if thou haue no sense and no feeling of the loue of God Some men and vvomen will glorie that they knowe this and that and thus farre of God and in the meane time they take no heede to that sense of the loue of God in the heart I had rather haue a little knowledge with the sense of that loue wherewith hee loueth mee than all the knowledge vnder the Sunne if mine heart bee voyde of that sweete loue Count neuer of the knowledge of God although thou hadst all the Scripture perâ—uiere if thou findest not this loue flowing from that knowledge and a sweetnesse and joye in thine heart arising of this loue And aye the more wee know the greater should
pilgrimage and who hath honoured you with manie good turnes and namelie with loue and kindnesse towardes Gods Children for his cause make you more and more finde the loue of God shed abroad in your soule so that you neuer wearie in well-doing but that yee may daylie goe on forward in the course of sanctification that yee seeking fearing louing and alwayes seruing him and being comfortable to his Sainctes on Earth yee may bee assured when this short life is ended the Lord shall crowne you with eternall Glorie in Heauen with all his Saincts in JESVS AMEN Yours in the Lord H. C. W. A. THE FIRST LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 1.2 LEt not your heart bee troubled yee belieue in God belieue also in mee 2 Jn my Fathers house are many dwelling places if it were not so J would haue told you I goe to preparé a place for you IN the CHAPTER immediately going before Brethren the LORD fore-warned his Disciples of his departure and taking away of his bodily presence out of the world that moued his Disciples exceedingly for they had no will hee should goe from them Therefore the Lord in this and in the next two CHAPT continueth in speaking to his Disciples to comfort and confirme them after his departure and taking away of his bodily presence from them And in the beginning of this CHAPTER hee layeth downe the proposition of this comfort Let not your heart bee troubled Thereafter hee subjoyneth sure argumentes to comfort strengthen an I confirme them when hee should goe away Hee saith Let not your hearts be troubled knowing well that when hee should depart they should be like as many Lambs among Wolues in the middest of this wicked world and so they would be troubled in mind when he should go away therefore the LORD warneth them before his departure that their hearts should not be troubled The Disciples faile in this that they thought that if the LORD had taken away his body and should absent himselfe out of their eyes they should haue no more comfort nor grace of him Ye see the Lesson ariseth here of their example As the presence of the LORD IESVS ministreth joye peace â—nd tranquillitie to the heart of the sinner euen so when he draweth away his presence from a sinner from a miserable creature then there is no joye no comfort no peace no rest to the heart It may be indeed and it coÌ„meth oft to passe that men and women will be lullud vp in a carnall security deliting themselues in the vain pleasures comforts of this world in eating and drinking c. It may be some be occupied they will haue a quite life they will lie downe and sleepe quietly they will rise and be wanton but in very trueth they haue no true peace if they finde not the Lord Iesus present in their heart when they lie downe and when they rise howbeit they had all the worlde they haue no peace No peace to the wicked saith the Lord Esay 57.21 Howbeit they seeme to haue peace they haue none As for the godly that haue once founde his presence and haue once tasted of that joye which is in his face of that light which commeth from his face and once he be taken from them giue them all this world and all the pleasures of this worlde they shall haue no pleasure they will neuer bee blythe till they get a sight of their Lord their soule dieth without his face and when he commeth againe it quickeneth and liueth This is the true joye thinke neuer yee haue true rest without the countenance of the Lord without the which all the pleasures and comforts of the world are but vaine for all shall leaue you and ye with them shall perish No question the Disciples when they began to feele that joye which they founde in his presence rather than they had wanted his company they would haue wanted all the world Now when he hath set downe this proposition of comfort hee leaueth them not so but knowing well how harde a thing it was to a comfortlesse heart to receiue comfort he subjoyneth sundrie arguments and reasons to hold them in a good courage and comfort And first he saith Yee belieue in God belieue also in mee There is an argument wherefore they should not bee troubled The first comfort hee ministreth to their comfortlesse heartes is Fayth in Christ The meaning is Howbeit when I goe away yee shall not see me yet settle your hearts vpon me follow me with the eye of your soule and looke afarre off to the Heauen and looke that ye rest and repose vpon mee by a true and liuely faith Well then yee see the first remedie against the taking away of the Lorde Iesus and withdrawing â—f his bodily presence is faith in him howbeit he were neuer so farre away let thy soule goe thorow the clouds and take holde on the Lord Iesus where hee sitteth at the right hand of God his Father sticke till him bee sure of him gripe him by the hand of faith and then in the middest of all the confusions of this world which ye see now fall out in these latter dayes thou shalt get comfort and ease to thy soule and it shall bee holden vp among all troubles of this world For why this is the nature of faith in Christ it will make things absent to be present As the Apostle saith to the Heb. 11.1 It maketh things hoped for to be present with vs it will let thee see that felicity that life that glorie which is laide vp in the Heauens for thee which we cannot see with the eyes of our mortall bodies so long as we are here Then so long as thou art absent from him belieue in him that thou mayeâ—t finde euer comfort till thy faith bee turned in sight and then thou shalt find that both sight of the soule the sight of the body into the Heauens shall be perfected then we shall see that clearly which we saw before obscurely and wee shall see him no sooner but our joy shall be full and wee shall bee into his glory with him and as his face shineth so shall ours shine also So ye see the chiefe thing that holdeth vs vp in all troubles of this world is the blinke we haue of Christ by faith Nowe hee proponeth not this argument barely but by way of comparison for he saith as Ye belieue in God so belieue in me for as he said I and the Father am one howbeit the Father and the Sonne be sundry persons yet they are but one blessed Majesty one God in one nature and one substance faith in one of them prejudgeth not another as thou belieuest in the Father so belieue in the Son so belieue in the holy Ghost because they are one in nature and substance they are coessentiall coequall coeternall if the Father and the Sonne were different in substance so that the Father were one
most precious sacrifice that euer was in the world hee entered not with the blood of beasts but with his own precious blood he carried there his owne bloody wounds and that blood slokned that burning wrath So that so soone as that justice findeth that blood the justice is satisfied then there is place to mercy So it followeth there is no entry to Heauen but by the Lord Iesus his blood and as he entered into Heauen by his own blood so there is neuer one of vs man or woman shall enter into HeaueÌ„ except we carry with vs that blood if thou wilt go into HeaueÌ„ be sprinkled with that blood or else the wrath of God shall burne thee vp But how shalt thou get this By faith in him that hath gone before thee with his blood that shall prepare for thee a rowm thou shalt follow thy Head So yee see how needfull it is to belieue in Christ if we would get entry into HeaueÌ„ it was not for his own cause he entred into Heauen but for vs he passed with his blood before vs to get vs an entry Before he lay down the argument he layes downe the ground therâ—f In my Fathers house are many dwelling places I go to prepare them Brethren Heauen is a very faire place there â—re many dwelling places into it there is great honour into it What is Heauen but the glory of God Whereto go we to Heauen but that we may be partakers of that glory who now without Christ are depriued of the glory of God Who is able to measure his glory for he is infinit he dwelleth into a light wherto there is no accesse And as the glory of God is infinit so there are infinit dwelling places in Heauen Before the Ascention of Christ there were rowms enough but they were al vnprepared closed vp til he entred By vertue of his Ascension al the yates were dong vp Then what good doth th' Ascension of Christ It opens all the doors of Heauen to vs there are dwelling places in HeaueÌ„ for a thousaÌ„d worlds for infinit worlds mo worlds than tong can tell There is no scarcity in HeaueÌ„ but as the glory of God is there is infinit can neuer be contained so there are infinit places I say more the Ascension of Iesus Christ vp to Heauen is of such force that it is able to prepare a place for a thousaÌ„d worlds for euery reprobat What is then the cause that euery one goes not to HeaueÌ„ seeing the HeaueÌ„s are able to contain so many There are many called saith the Lord but few elect What is the cause of this What is it but this No want of Mansions there is no want in Iesus Christ but the cause is in men women who want faith in Iesus Christ Who euer hath faith they goe in and who wants it albeit there be many MaÌ„sions there yet there is none for them WheÌ„ thou hearest there are so many dwelling places in Heauen say with thy selfe Lord prepare mee for grace as grace is prepared for me Lord giue me faith into this blood that I by vertue therof may haue a place in HeaueÌ„ Striue therfore rather to throng in to haue a part of that life than to haue all the commodities of the world for if thou hast not this all the coÌ„modities of the world shall go away thou shalt be shot in Hell No striue rather to get a part of that inheritaÌ„ce it were the least Mansion than the whole earth for there is more joye there than in all the world Hee saieth And it were otherwise J would haue tolde you As hee would say I am not boune to beguile you and feed you with faire wordes and there were not many dwelling places in my Fathers house I would haue told you the promise of the Lord Iesus is not like the promise of the world for men will promise mountaines of gold All men of all estates yea Princes are liars but the Lord Iesus will promise nothing but that which he will performe There was neuer such promise made as the Lorde Iesus made Looke how he speaketâ— of the joy of Heauen and of that immortall inheritance thinkâ—st thou he beguileth thee No no thinke not so for and it were nâ—â—â—o the Lorde would neuer haue spoken so of it to thee thou shalt find it so thou shalt see it with thine eys there is none that belieueth but thâ—y shall find in experience the trueth of that promise There was neuer a faithfull soule yet who departed as Abraham Isaac and Iaakob c. but they now find that joy which was promised them in this world Yea more yee shall finde more than euer was spoken of All the words of the world cannot expresse the greatnesse of that joy in Heauen yea all the words in the worlde cannot expresse the thousand part of that ioye As the Queene of Saba when she heard the wordes of Solomon and saw his pompe she began to coÌ„mend them said It was a true word that I heard in mine own land of thy sayings of thy wisdome but lo the one halfe was not told me for thou hast more than I heard by report Euen so belieue all these reports and thou shalt find greater things in Heauen than any thou heardest tell of in the world thou shalt wonder at them It is true that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.9 The eye of man hath not seene nor the eare of man hâ—ard neither hath it entered into the heart of man touching the things which the Lord hath laide vp for them who loue him Hope for greater things and belieue greater thinges than thou canst feele Hope for infinite glory thou canst not hope enough and thou shalt finde in that great day greater joye than euer thou hopedst for that through Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory for euermore Amen THE SECOND LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 3.4.5.6 3 And if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where J am there may yee bee also 4 And whither I goe yee know and the way yee know 5 Thomas said vnto him Lord wee know not whither thou goest how can wee then know the way 6 Iesus said vnto him J am that Way and that Trueth and that Life No man commeth to the Father but by mee HAving heard already welbeloued Brethren two arguments whereby the Lord comforteth his Disciples who were heauily casten downe for his departing and taking away of his bodily presence from them The first is Faith in Christ Howbeit when I goe away ye shall not see me yet settle your hearts vpon me follow mee with the eyes of your soule rest vpon me with a true faith then in the midst of all troubles ye shal get comfort ease to your soule
of CHRIST To vvhome vvith the Father and vvith the Holie Spirite bee all prayse honour and glorie for euermore Amen THE FOVRTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 11.12.13.14.15 11 Belieue me that I am in the Father and the Father in mee aâ— the least belieue mee for the verie workes sake 12 Verilie verilie I say unto you Hee that belieueth in mee the workes that J doe hee shall doe also and greater than these shall hee doe for J goâ— vnto my Father 13 And whatsoeuer yee aske in my Name that will I doe that the Father may bee glorified in the Sonne 14 If yee shall aske anie thing in my Name I will doe it 15 If yee loue mee keepe my Commandements WEE haue heard in this Chapter Beloued Brethren how Christ comforted his Disciples against the time hee should haue vvithdrawne his bodilie presence out of this vvorld hee began and saide to them Be not troubled let not your hearts be troubled As he vvould say When I goe away ye vvill find matter of trouble be not troubled with all the things ye shall find And thereafter he furnishes them arguments of comfort The first is Fayth in him Belieue in me howbeit yee will not haue my bodily presence in earth yet send your fayth to Heauen and fasten your selues vpon mee The seconde argument I goe away not for your hurt but for your weale to prepare a place for you in my Fathers house therefore be not troubled The third argument When I haue passed away I will not abide for euer away but I shal come againe and take you to my selfe and place you in Heauen with my selfe The fourth argument is Comfort your selues with the knowledge that ye know the place where I goe to and the way Pilgrimes that wander in a strange Countrey are comforted in the meane time of their Pilgrimage that they vnderstande the way and the place where they shall repose themselues Euen so the Lord would say Comfort your selues with this that yee know the place and the way while I come and take you with me After the Lord hath comforted his Disciples Thomas first and Philip next beginneth to doubt and vtter their ignorance chieflie concerning the place and the way Thomas beginneth and hee first vttereth his ignorance first of the way The Lord answereth him and instructeth him and sayth I am the Way the Verity and the Life no man coÌ„meth to the Father but by me Secondly coÌ„cerning the place to wit the Fathers dwelling place If ye had known me sayth he ye would haue known the Father in misknowing the Father ye vtter an ignorance of me Philip vttereth his ignorance and he sayth Let vs see the Father and that shall suffice vs. The Lord answereth Philip as hee answereth Thomas with a reproofe Philip sayth he hee that hath seene me hath seene the Father how then sayest thou Shew vs the Father Then hee proueth this that hee who hath seene the Sonne it behoued him to see the Father I am in the Father and the Father in me wee are but one in Maiesty substance and glory he therefore who hath seene me hath seene also the Father So the Lord hath brought his Disciples to the first ground of the knowledge of the Father the ground is The Sonne is one with the Father and he is the Image of the Father When hee hath reasoned this waye with them and comforted them in this Text we haue read hee entereth into an exhortation hee leaueth nothing off that may serue for their weale And in this Text hee exhorteth them to two thinges The first is to fayth in him to belieue him that God dwelleth in his manly nature the Majestie and the glorie of God dwelleth in him bodilie The seconde is in the last verse wee haue read and it is that they should keepe his Commaundementes if they loued him To come to the first Belieue mee sayeth the Lord that J am in the Father and hee in mee As if hee would saye Belieue this I haue beene speaking That I and the Father are one in nature in substance glorie and Majestie Let not this base and infirme nature of man that I am clad with in the world stay your fayth Looke in the thorowe the vaile of my flesh and see the Majestie of the great God The Lesson wee haue is this The Lorde is verie earnest with his Disciples in this pointing out of himselfe that vnder that vaile of the nature of man his Disciples shoulde see the glorious Majestie of the great God of Heauen This earnestnesse letteth vs see it is one of the hardest thinges in the worlde for man and woman to take vp and see that Majestie and Godhead that dwelleth in IESVS CHRIST And it is harde for fleshe and bloode yea it passeth the reach of all men to belieue it except there bee another waye than by the eyes of nature by the eye of nature the soule will neuer perceiue nor take vp the glorious GOD to dwell in so base a lodging The LORD sayeth to Peter in the sixteenth Chapter of the Euangel of saint Matthew and the seuenteenth verse when hee confessed him to bee the Sonne of the liuing OOD Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona flesh and blood hath not reuealed that to thee but my Father which is in Heauen So I saye to see the Majestie of GOD dwelling in earth it behooueth man and woman to bee raysed aboue nature to the Heauens to haue a Spirituall eye and the Spirite of the great GOD to see that glorious Majestie Now another thing foloweth here on this earnestnesse to wit A necessitie to knowe the Father that wee maye gette saluation Had not the LORD knowne that it was a needefull thing for his Disciples and for the vvhole vvorlde that they might get life to know that the nature of God dwelt in him hee would not haue bene so earnest in this point It is a thing that the world must knowe or then there is no saluation The third thing followeth seeing it is so harde a thing to a naturall man to see the glory of God in Iesus Christ and seeing it is so necessary a thing to saluation that except wee see him to bee God as well as man there shall bee no life If euer wee would enjoy life euerlasting and Heauen wee must bee lifted vp aboue nature and in a manner wee must be supernaturall and heauenly And this change be not made in this life let neuer man looke to see Heauen that is the necessitie that is laide vpon thee looke to it as thou wilt When he hath proponed his exhortation hee bringeth reasons to cause them belieue this The first argument hee vseth is in the ende of the verse At the least belieue me for the very works sake And there were not another argument to cause you to belieue this that God dwelleth in me looke to my workes and see if they passe nâ—t
I charge thee till thou gettest that life without the which there is no quietnesse thou mayest be quiet for a while but blacke shall bee thy wakening and say thou Lord liue in my soule for and he liue not heere in thy soule thou shalt not get that life to come Now to draw to an ende Hee letteth them see what vantage they shall haue of that sight It is no small vantage to see Christ In that day would the Lord say what shall yee see vvhen yee see mee Yee shall see two thinges two vnions in the sight of which standeth the joye of the creature The first is the vnion betwixt me and the Father J am in the Father that is I am God with the Father And next ye shal see yourselues to stand in this societie That is That yee are in mee and I in you to your joye and comfort One may aske Howe shalt thou see him vnited with the Father A man or vvoman shall not so soone set the eye of the soule vpon Iesus Christ shall not so soone belieue in him but as soone they shall knowe and belieue the vnity of the essence and glory of the Father and of the Sonne By fayth in Christ they shall gripe an infinite power Who is he that belieueth in Iesus Christ vvho findeth not in his heart an infinite power and an infinite mercy And vve feele not this vvee feele nothing And vvee feele not by fayth an vnspeakeable loue vvee feele nothing In one vvord vvhen one belieueth in Christ they shall see in him an infinit Majesty othervvayes fayth could not rest on him for fayth can rest on nothing but on God I remember Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 1. Vers 18.19 hee prayeth the Lord to illuminate the hearts of the Ephesians to see heauenly thinges and among the rest to see that excellent greatnesse of power There is none that belieueth in Christ but they finde an excellent power Then if fayth finde the Majesty of God in him the man vvill lay this conclusion and say I see my Sauiour is God and is one vvith the Father And there the soule getteth a sweet repose to rest vpon So ye see as soone as the soule belieueth in Christ it feeleth an vnspeakeable power and Majesty and so gathereth hee is God and one vvith the Father Except hee were God and one with the Father it coulde not bee that one belieuing in Christ coulde haue such joye and peace in the heart This is the Trueth and hee were not God mine heart could not haue joye in belieuing in him So this power wee finde striking from the Lord in belieuing telleth vs that the Lord is God Nowe to speake of the second vnion Howe is this that when wee looke to Christ by fayth wee finde vs joyned with him in that blessed society The eye shall not so soone bee set on Christ and gette a blinke of him but in him it shall finde the satiety of joye In the face of Christ is all light and joye as Paul sayeth Turne the heart till him the vaile shall vanish awaye and the minde shall bee illuminated because the Lord is a Spirit 2. Cor. Chap. 3. vers 16.17 When thou belieuest in him his face shall shine in thy soule thou shalt see no light but in him Is this the effect of fayth What then shouldest thou gather Thou vvouldest neuer finde ioye except the Spirit had vnited thee and him All this light power and ioye which is in our soules floweth from that vnion of Christ with vs. Then Brethren the sight of Christ will let vs see the two ioyfullest sightes that euer wee saw First that vnion betwixt him and his Father and so thou wilt see thy Sauiour to bee God equall with the Father in glory and Maiesty The next is Thou shalt see thy selfe to stand in that societie with the Father and the Sonne Men would be in honest societie What more gracious yea what more blessed societie woldest thou haue than to be in societie with the blessed Trinitie in glory for euer For this is the felicitie of man to bee ioyned with that blessed Trinitie euen with the Father with the Sonne and with the holy Spirit To whom be praise and honour foreuer and euer Amen THE SEVENTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 21.22.23.24.25.26 21 Hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them is hee that loueth mee and hâ—e that loueth mee shall bee loued of my Father and I will loue him and will shew mine owne selfe to him 22 Judas saide vnto him not Iscariot Lord what is the cause that thou wilt shew thy selfe vnto vs and not vnto the world 23 Jesus answered and said vnto him If any man loue mee hee will keepe my word and my Father will loue him and wee will come vnto him and will dwell with him 24 Hee that loueth mee not keepeth not my words and the word which yee heare is not mine but the Fathers which sent mee 25 These thinges have I spoken vnto you being present with you 26 But the Comforter which is the holy Ghoste whome the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you in all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembrance which I haue tolde you WEE haue heard welbeloued Brethren how Christ hath insisted much with his Disciples to assure them that after his departure out of this world he would giue them another Comforter to wit the holy Spirit the Spirit of Trueth and he would giue them his presence from the Heauen Hee hath repeated his promise often to assure them of the trueth thereof Nowe hee returneth vnto that seconde exhortation and exhorteth his Disciples of newe to keepe his Commandementes in his absence Hee sayeth the Lord who hath my Commandements and keepeth them is hee who loueth mee As he would say Wouldest thou know the man who loueth me when I am in the Heauens It is hee who keepeth my CoÌ„mandements here on earth Ye see the Lord is very earnest to exhort his Disciples to keep his CoÌ„mandemeÌ„ts as they vvould testifie to the vvorld that they loue him The Lord knew vvell enough the hypocrisie of this vvorlde and in this latter age chiefely that men vvomen vvould haue a pretence of loue and faith and haue none indeed in their heart and therfore he insisteth vvith his Disciples that men should kythe it indeede The babler and the speaker onely is not the louer but the doer Iohn in his first Epistle Chap. 3. vers 18. saith My little Children let vs not loue in word neither in tounge but in deed and trueth They who belieue are not those who speake most but those who doe most James Chap. 2 vers 18. saith Let me see thy fayth by thy workes and I will shew thee my fayth by my works Christ is not a voyce or a sound sounding in mens eares but the Lord Iesus is in deede and effect and there are none who haue Christ
Let not the Minister leaue off to preach and let not the people leaue off to heare but let euer the sâ—ede bee sowne and let euer the heart receiue the seede and holde euer vp the eare and in despite of thine heart when thine heart would loathe it euer heare and striue to holde vp thine eares and abide in patience till the Lord send better Peter in his first Epist chap. 1. vers 23. he calleth the seed of the word an immortall seed It will neuer die it may be choaked holden down It can no more die saith Peter than God can die So of necessity in the ende when it shall please God to waken that word by his holy Spirit in the heart then it shall afford solide joy and consolation till vs these sentences shal be called to our remembrance which wee heard before without fruit and edification We haue found this in experience wheÌ„ man or woman hath most adoe in affliction this same very Comforter will come to the heart and renew the remembrance and will cause them to haue a joy in that word which they heard before with deafe eares And this is true that at the last hee shall comfort his owne with that worde which they hearde with deafe eares for the worde cannot passe awaye without some effect Hee sayeth The holy Spirite shall teach them all things We know he who teacheth is called a Teacher yet when he sayth The holy Spirit shall teach he calleth him not a Teacher but a Comforter because al his doctrine tendeth to consolation There is no comfortable doctrine but that doctrine of the holy Spirit inwardly working in the soule We will say Men will teach comfortable doctrine but all the comfortable doctrine we heare proceedeth of this that the holy Spirit accompanieth their doctrine and worketh comfort inwardly If thou hast anie consolation inwardlie by teaching thou mayest rejoyce and bee assured that thou hast a glorious Doctour euen the third person of the Trinitie in thine heart There is no consolation in the outwarde Teacher without him whome the Father shall sende in my Name The Father sendeth the holie Spirite in the Name of the Sonne and sendeth that Spirit by his Sonne as Mediator The Spirite and all his graces floweth till vs from the Father but mediatelie thorowe the Sonne as a mediate person There commeth not a grace till vs but thorow the Sonne All power is giuen to him and thorow him immediately all joye is conuoyed to the creature The Iewes and Paganes passe ouer this and thinke to climbe vp to God the Father without the Messias but they shall neuer see him for the God of Heauen hath placed in him as in a store-house all grace vvhich he shall bestow vpon the vvorld as Iustice Mercy Sanctification Ioye Peace and tranquility of Conscience and hee hath bought them by no lesse price than by his Blood they are all bought by the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God Thou vvho hast gotten a sponke of that grace thou hast gotten a greater grace than if thou hadst gotten all the Kingdomes of the vvorlde But what shall he teach you All things Not all the fantasies of men not the inuentions of the Pope but all things J haue tolde you The Lord be mercifull to this worlde vvhich wandereth after the inuentions of men And blessed art thou who restest vpon that vvord which the Spirit hath told Marke hath the vvorde preached none effect but by the Spirit conuoying it Not Euen so on the other part the Spirit will teach nothing but that which hath come out of the mouth of Iesus Christ Bee not deceiued What call I the word of Christ That is the word of Christ that â—he Prophets spake of olde as Peter testifieth for the Prophets spake by the Spirit of Christ Next I call the word of Christ that which he spake himselfe in the worlde Thirdly that which the Apostles spake Last I call the worde of God the Scriptures of the Olde and New Testament vvhich the Lord hath registrated in his mercie And take it awaye miserable darknesse shall come vpon the vvorlde Let it stand giue it the owne power it shall shine like light vnto the worlde They will saye it hath not all that Christ spake and that the Apostles spake I answere The Lord Iesus spake nothing nor his Apostles spake nothing but all in effect is contained in this written word There is not a word that the Spirit of Iesus shall speake vnto thy soule but onely that which is registrated in the Olde and New Testament That Trueth shall stand inspite of the world This place therefore confuteth all them that are enemies to the Scriptures Mahomet began said the Scripture was imperfect The Pope brought in mens Traditions to supply the wants of the Scriptures Others as the Anabaptistes awaite on that reuelation of the Spirit besides that reuelation of Iesus Christ in his worde But inspite of them they shall get none other reuelation nor the Spirit shall accompany no word but that which Iesus hath spoken left in register Now Lord if we with whome hee hath let his light remaine shoulde praise him The Lord accompany his worde with the presence of his Spirite that Comforter in our soules inwardly till his comming in the Cloudes and we see him face to face To whom bee praise honour and glory for euer and euer Amen THE EIGHT LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 27.28.29.30.31 27 Peace J leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your heart bee troubled nor feare 28 Yee haue heard howe I saide vnto you I goe away and will come vnto you Jf yee loued mee yee would verily reioyce because J saide I goe vnto the Father for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I haue spoken vnto you before it come that when it is come to passe yee might belieue 30 Heereafter will J not speake manie thinges vnto you for the prince of this world commeth and hath nought in mee 31 But it is that the worlde may knowe that I loue my Father and as the Father hath commanded mee so I doe Arise let vs goe hence IN the beginning of this Chapter Brethren Christ began to comfort his Disciples against the time hee was to with-drawe his bodily presence from them and he continued a while in comforting them and then after he beginneth to exhort them First to belieue in him and next to obedience to keepe his Commaundementes and hee insisted chiefely in this That they should keepe the worde hee spake vnto them in his absence Now in the beginning of these wordes wee haue read the Lord returneth againe to that consolation that he began with to wit That they should not bee troubled in his absence The arguâ—ent is taken from that peace hee leaueth with them Seeing I leaue peace with you what need yee to bee troubled
Christ was obedience to the Father When a man doeth a thing willingly because it is the will of God offereth vp his life willingly and dieth willingly there is obedience But let him die ten thousand deaths if he doe it not willingly it is none obedience I suppone that the Son of God had not suffered willingly wee would haue had no saluation the obedience standeth not only in suffering but in that he died so gladly suffered so willingly with such a loue to powre out his life for the world as yee may reade in the 53. Chap. of Esay Hee was like a Lambe before the Shearers So when wee looke to the death of Christ let vs not looke to his death so much as to his patience willingnesse In the last verse the Lord setteth downe the ende of his suffering wherefore he putteth himselfe into the handes of the executers I doe this that the worlde may know that I loue the Father This is the end Wee see first in this end the ground of the obedience and suffering of Iesus Christ What needed him to be so obedient and to deject himselfe so farre Yee may take it vp in one worde All this obedience proceeded of an vnspeakeable loue he bare to the Father It is true the loue of the saluation of man moued the Lord to this obedience also no doubt and this vnspeakeable loue moued him to giue his life for them But marke yet this place letteth vs see the chiefe ground of his obedience was not the loue of the world but the loue of the Father Paul 2. Philipp 5.6.7.8 speaking of the obedience of Iesus Christ letteth vs see and pointeth out that humiliation of Christ as proceeding of that loue he bare to the Father Let that affection sayth he be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with God but hee manited himselfe and made himselfe of no reputation in taking vpon him the shape of a seruant and in that shape hee became obedient to the Father to the death of the Crosse That obedience then flowed from the loue he bare to the Father Yee would thinke it a great matter to two kinges the one of them as great as the other if one woulde serue the other in a worldly seruice yee woulde thinke it a great loue the one bare to the other The Lord Iesus being equall with the Father in glory humbled himselfe to the Father What followed on this obedience As hee dejecteth himselfe thorow loue to obey the Father so the Father loueth him vnspeakeably Paul 2. Philipp vers 9.10.11 letteth vs see the effect of this loue hee exalteth him to a wonderfull sublimitie and hee giueth him a Name aboue all the names of the worlde That at the Name of IESVS all thinges in Heauen and in Earth and vnder the Earth should bow their knee or else if they will not bow they should bee broken Now Brethren to draw this example to our selues wee haue this lesson to learne What is the ground of true humilitie I speake not of fained humilitie but of true lowlinesse which is the best vertue in a Christian man Learne of mee sayeth Christ that I am humble and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 not only of obedience to Superiors for Christ biddeth thee bee obedient and seruiceable not onely to Superiors and equals but to inferiors and each one to another What is the ground of this humilitie Euen the loue of the heart and a man haue true loue in the heart hee will not care how lowlie he be in the world So when ye see a sober Christian point him out and say There is a louing hearted Christian Would yee knowe what followeth on humilitie and lowlinesse Obedience What followeth vpon obedience They who in loue humble themselues to exalt others and obey them shall find that God will meet them with loue and exalt them Wherein standeth the band of loue When euery one preferreth another to himselfe Heerein standeth humilitie humilitie beginneth with loue and endeth with loue By the contrarie What is the ground of pride A foolish selfe-loue when a man taketh pleasure in his owne corruptions and hath a conceit of himselfe and an hatred and disdaining of others Wherewith is it met With a mutuall hatred and disdaine That man who is proude stinketh both in Gods nose and mans and as humility intertaineth peace amongst men so pride breaketh the amitie and loue and rents the body of Christ so that pride is the most vnseemly thing in any man and it is a note of them who perteine not to Christ Striue euer to be like Christ in being humble and haue loue in thine heart But what is the chiefe ende of the suffring of Christ Iesus and of his humiliation The Lord sets it down in these words That the world may know that the Sonne loueth the Father Indeed this is one end yea the chiefest which we should all consider Another is that we may know that Iesus Christ hath loued vs. Looke in thorowe the body of Christ into the heart looke not to the nailes and to the woundes of his side but to that heart of his and chiefely to that infinit loue that the Sonne hath borne to the Father Thou mayst say What aduantage is it to mee to know that obedience of the Sonne to the Father and that loue When thou seest that Sonne of God equal with the Father how hee humbled himself so lowly that no creature in Heauen or in earth Angel or man euer humbled himselfe so as the Sonne It serueth thee to this ende to learne thee who is a creature and who is but a seruant to humble thy selfe before God and to glorifie thy God And indeede albeit there be many thinges to moue vs to humilitie yet and a man get not the sight of that humiliation of Iesus Christ he shall neuer be truely humbled Paul in his second Chap. to the Philipp to stirre vs vp to humilitie he bringeth in the example of the humilitie of the Sonne to the Father Ye will aske Haue we any profit of this that we be humbled to the Father Hast thou no profit in glorifying God Neuer one serued such a Master and neuer one got such a glory as they shall get who glorifie God Was Christ exalted highly Thou shalt bee also exalted I aske then Wherein standeth thy misery and wherein standeth thine happinesse There is the only joy that the creature hath when it hath humbled it selfe to the Father it obeyeth him it glorifieth the great God the Creator And herein standeth the happinesse of man euen to haue his heart loosed to glorifie the Lord The godly finde this in experience And by the contrary when the faythfull soule is locked vp and hath no pleasure to glorifie God for his graces albeit it had neuer so great aboundance of all things in the world yet it counteth the selfe to be in great misery Paul
Iesus but the Father hath them all numbred they are all in his eyes Ye remember in the parable of the Marriage banquet Mat. 22.11 it is said when they were all come in the King commeth in also to view the banquâ—t what meaneth this but the care of the Father that he hath of his branches who are ingraffed in Christ The King is the Father of Heauen he who is married is the Son they who are called are the branches The eye of the Father is vpon all the members good bad yea that hypocrit who wanted the wedding garment was soone seene by him Let him be an hypocrit who wil king or beggar the Lord wil point him out in his own time Now last the husbandman in the own time will dresse the vine tree he taketh away the vnfruitfull and purgeth the fruitful Euen so the Father of our Lord Iesus goeth to his vine tree vieweth the branches in his own time wil come with his snedding knife will cut off the hypocrit he will purge the fruitfull the next yeere it will bring forth more fruit The Father cutteth off hypocrits this we haue seene And then againe in the faithfull he augments regeneration and grace Mark this Text well ye shall see the pleasandest vine tree that euer was in the worlde with the roote the body of the tree the branches the fruits budding forth in euery branch the root of this vine tree is the Father who is the Fountain of all life the body of the vine tree is the Son the braÌ„ches are men women ingraffed by faith in the body the fruit of the tree is good works the sap of life is in the Father he is the grouÌ„d of al grace sendes this his sap to the body of the tree the Son the Son hath all the grace that is in the root then the body of the tree sendes sap to the branches then the braÌ„ches being filled with sap bring forth fruit as necessarily as a vine tree can bring foorth fruite So if yee would take vp the nature of these works ye shal vnderstand that good works spring not from flesh and blood they come not from the power of men women from nature and free-wil So foolish Papists will say that men will doe good workes of nature and of free-will No no these works proceede not of nature no there is not a good worke but it floweth from that life which is in the Father and is communicated to the Sonne there is not so much as a charitable or a good thought but it floweth from the life of God So all the good we doe is as fruits flowing from that roote And thou were not imped in Christ and so as a wild Oliue partaker of the sappe of that true Oliue it would passe thy power to thinke a good thought and thou wouldst do no more good than a withered stocke can Now marke this When as it pleaseth the Lord to transport vs from that rotten roote of Adam and to set vs in Iesus Christ the seconde Adam then whereas before wee brought foorth but stinking fruit and dead workes as the Apostle calleth them all is but filth and stinke without the life of God in Christ let be all these workes which are forbidden in the Law and it were a good worke hee polluteth it because hee medleth with it and there be nothing but nature being once ingraffed in Iesus Christ then the creature beginneth to drawe out so fruitfull sappe and so delicate that all the sappe of the Vine tree is nothing in comparison thereof And when wee haue gotten of that sappe then the fruit commeth out and floweth with a sweet smelling sauour fra once the heart begin to sucke of that life the verie smelling of the life of Iesus Christ wil appeare in the works in the words It is true indeed we may find it al there is euer in all our fruites in all our deeds and wordes that proceede out of our mouth some bitternesse sournesse in the best of vs all the cause is howbeit we be ingraffed in Christ yet that old life abideth intill vs all so the fruit we bring out as it hath a sauour of Christ so it stinketh of the old man the best worke that wee bring out is partly sweete and partly soure and the worde sauoureth of bitternesse but and we be highly displeased for the bitternesse then wee haue this comfort We may bee assured the Father is purging vs and this hope That when we shall bee with Christ our fruits shall all sauour of that life of God in Christ and this should augment our joye Next wee see whaâ— neede wee haue euen to bee purged and to make a perpetuall progresse in regeneration if the Father should leaue off to cleanse the liuely branches that are in the Lord Iesus as soone the liueliest should turne in rottennesse and then the naturall corruption should ouer-goe vs except hee were euer snedding vs and of liuely members wee should become dead All our standing and perseuerance is of him Another thing as vnpossible as it is that the Father of the Lord Iesus Christ should leaue off to purge the members of Christ euen as vnpossible is it that that meÌ„ber can fal away if it were possible that the Father should leaue off his office then it might be possible that men should fall away No the Father can neuer leaue off his office they who are once ingraffed in Iesus Christ shall neuer be cut off It is a false doctrine of the Papists who say that a man once sanctified may become vnsanctified it is an horrible blasphemie and a lie against the holie Ghost The last thing I marke Looke how needfull is it that the Father play the part of an husbandman in purging as needfull it is that euery branch grow in holinesse sanctification the Father cannot purge the branches in vain but as he purgeth the branches from their own nature so the branches must bring out berries So if they who professe themselues to be Christians make no grouth neuer mend in holinesse it is a tokeÌ„ that the Father of our Lord Iesus purgeth them not and then they are not branches So take heed Men will hunt greedily after honor riches and pleasure but this is the thing thou shouldest chiefely striue to That thou make much grouth in Iesus that thou find thy soule in better disposition this yere than it was the last that thou may be a true member of Iesus Christ This for the denunciation of the sentence against the branches that bring foorth no fruit and the promise to them that bring foorth fruit These words might haue moued his Disciples to be feared and to haue heauy hearts therfore the Lord who saw all their cogitations meeteth them to comfort them Howbeit he speake not to vs he comforteth vs by his holy Spirit and he letteth them know
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
hee beginneth to giue an ordinance to preach after his departure as yee reade in the 28. Chapter of Matthew vers 19. Before he lay downe the ordinance hee premitteth some words to prepare the hearts of his Disciples to accept of it J haue chosen you and ye haue not chosen mee therefore I haue ordained yee should goe out and bring out fruit As the Lord would say I haue chosen you to be Apostles to me before yee thought such a thing I sought you first and ye sought not mee I preuented you and so this office is of my grace there is no cause in you but the whole is ascribed to mee Was Peter seeking Christ when hee was fishing Was Matthew seeking Christ when hee was sitting at the Table with the Publicanes Matth. 9. vers 9. Had Paul any mind of Christ when hee was going to Damascus to persecute the poore Saincts of God It is a good thing to knowe howe much Paul acknowledged this grace Looke the first Chapter to the Gal. vers 15. When it had pleased the Lord to separate mee from my mothers wombe he called me by his grace to reueale his Sonne to me that I might preach him amongst the Gentiles See in howe pitthie words he setteth it downe The ground of Pauls calling was the good wil of God and higher the eternall separation of him from his mothers wombe and last hee commeth to the grace of God But this is the thing I marke We see the Lord he groundeth his ordinance to his Disciples vpon his owne free grace In election the Lord will haue all our calling to depend vpon his mercy only hee will haue his grace to preuent vs. I am founde of them who sought me not Who dare say I sought the Lord before he sought me He will be the first caller of vs to the end that he should haue a right to command vs what hee pleaseth Another ende that hee commanding vs to doe it with our whole hearts wee should giue obedience and say Lord I will answere thee Bee not deceiued the Papists are full of vanitie they labour to set vp men with pride to disobey God that doctrine they teach maketh men proude for when they speake of workes of preparation before their calling and of a free-will when they are called whereto tendeth this doctrine but to bereaue God of that power hee hath ouer vs Let this enter into our hearts once We haue not all our grace of God the Deuill seeketh no better they thinke not that they are altogether debt-bound to God and if they doe him any seruice they thinke he is in their common The way to keepe our hearts in humilitie and to dispose them in lowlinesse is to thinke nothing of our selues they that thinke that they haue nothing in nature but rebellion and hatred of all grace they ascribe all to God and prayse him and they will say Lord seeing I haue no grace except thou giue mee it and if thou bid mee suffer I will suffer ten thousand deaths But weigh the words In these words that they should goe and bring out fruit hee alludeth to the Vine tree what is that to bring out fruite that is they shall vantage and win soules to God and of all fruites it is the best to win lost soules to Iesus Christ to dwell with him in Heauen to drawe them out of that damnation he ordaineth that they should not begin only but that their fruit should abide that is they should continue all the time of their life to win soules to Iesus Christ and should continue vnto the ende Nowe knowe this It is not enough in any calling once co begin to doe well to fructifie but there must be perseuerance to the end the ende of all our well doing must bee with our last ende Let our labours in this life and our life goe together At all seasons a tree will not bring out fruite but it is required in a Christian that hee bring euermore out fruit at all times they haue no season by another And as this is requisite in all men so chiâ—fely is it requisite in them who are called to the Ministerie that they bee winning soules and aye doing good one way or other no rest for a Minister but of all men it is most requisite that hee doe good Paul sâ—â—th 2 Timot. 4. vers 2. Preach the word in season and out of season that is no rest for thee Timothie And truely the Apostle Paul himselfe aboue all others preassed and endeuoured in hiâ— calling in the Ministerie to be faithfull and hee thirsted so earnestlie for that high price of Gods calling that he neuer looked behind him but aye ran till he came to the ende of the race and when hee came to the ende he saith I haue ended my course Now that man is happie in this life that layeth this grounde There is no resting for mee heere I must not sit downe I am in a course going to Heauen and so with an holy courage goeth forwarde running on in his pilgrimage for in the ende hee shall get that Sabbath day of rest and he shall eate sweetlie the fruits of his trauels But if thou restest in this life and wilt not labour in thy calling in this life and seekest thy rest in sinne for let him sitte ydle he shall rest in sinne and wickednesse thou shalt not get rest afterwarde There is no soule that will sit downe in the race that shall rest with God in the Heauens Alace we set not that crowne of glorie before our eyes and that is the cause wee runne not but blessed is that soule that will take paine In the end of the verse to mooue them to doe well in their calling he giueth them another argument Whatsoeuer they should aske in his Name they should get it The world wanteth grace for fault of asking So the Lord would saye Goe forwarde and what yee shall aske in my Name at my Father for without faith in him wee will not be heard he will giue it you The Lord obscurely would meete a doubt It is hard for vs to doe well in this worlde howe many impedimentes are in man and howe many without him And so ere thou doe any good these must bee remooued So they might haue said It is hard for vs being so few to goe out into the world it is hard for vs to begin and farre harder to perseuere To this hee answereth Aske at my Father in my Name and whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my Name yee shall get it Well doing is gotten by begging and he or shee that will begin to doe any good turne must beg it at the handes of him who hath grace to giue So well doing beginneth at prayer and continuance in well doing dependeth vpon continuance in prayer Thou who wouldest continue in well doing be aye praying and aye asking Paul Ephes 6. vers 18. exhorteth the Christian man of euery ranke to stand continuallie in Armour
1. vers 29. saith To you is giuen for Christ not onelie to belieue in him but also to suffer for his sake They who suffer for Christ may thinke they haue gotten a great gift Farder of this argument I marke this The hatred and loue of men is common to Iesus Christ with his members so that they who loue Iesus Christ they loue also his seruantes and they who are foes to Christ they are foes also to his seruantes But it is well to bee marked that this hatred and fauour of men beginneth euer at Christ ere euer one loue the seruant hee must loue the Master and hee that hateth the seruant hee hateth the Master first Hatest thou him who beareth the Message of Christ thou hatest Christ who sent him saye what thou wilt and thou who louest Christ thou wilt loue the silliest member of Christ Nowe I come to the fourth argument and it is from the cause which they had in hande Whatsoeuer the worlde should doe vnto them it shoulde bee for a good cause it shoulde bee for my Names sake and for my Fathers sake Hee letteth the Disciples see farder than the worlde sawe in their hatred to the Disciples for Christ in all his speaking chiefelie with the Scribes and Pharisees hee letteth them see with whome they had to doe they had to doe first with the Father of Heauen all their persecution was a misknowledging of the Father The malicious persecution of men striketh first vpon the GOD of Heauen first ere it bee on the Sonne it must strike on the Father As the Iewes then that woulde boast that they loued God and hated his Disciples had in their heartes first the hatred of the Father so nowe men will saye in the middest of the hatred of the seruantes of Iesus Christ that they loue Iesus Christ but the Spirite of Iesus Christ sayeth They lie and the ground of their hatred is the hatred of Christ Bee not deceiued I will laye downe this as a sure ground It is vnpossible for one to loue Christ or his Father and to raile vpon the seruantes of Christ This for the fourth argument wherein wee may see the first thing required in a Christian is patience Among all the argumentes to moue a man to patience this suffering for a good cause is principall for it bringeth with it great joy Whē a man suffereth as an euil doer as a thiefe an adulterer or murderer he will not suffer patiently joyfully The Lord will not let joy come of sin but if they haue joy that comes vpon the assurance their sinnes are forgiuen them which caused them to hold down their head Blessed is the man who suffereth for a good cause and the best cause is to suffer for Iesus Christ and if euer one found joy in suffering they found the greatest joy for as it is said 1. Pet. 4.14 of those who suffer for Christ the Spirit of glory of God resteth vpon them the Spirit of Christ sits downe in the soule resteth holdeth vp the soule with joy No words can teach this so wel as experience the Martyrs were witnesses herof who in most exquisit torments were patient rejoyced wonderfully what was the cause thereof Euen because that the Spirit of Christ filled their soules with joy and that joy ouercame ate vp all the pain Therfore if thou wouldest suffer look that it be for a good cause let it be for the cause of Iesus Christ that our suffering may be joyfull in laying down of this life we may be assured that we shal be transported to that blessed life Blessed saith Christ Matth. 5.10 are those who suffer for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of God Now lest the ignorance of the Father shold haue bene thought to haue bene a simple ignorance he saith Jf I had not come and spoken vnto them he meaneth of the Scribes Pharisees they should haue had no sinne that is If I had not reuealed the whole secret of the Father their ignorance had bene tollerable but now they haue no pretence to cloake their ignorance but their mouth shall bee closed vp Nowe yee see in these wordes howe hee bringeth this persecution of his Discilples to the head grounde First There is the hatred of the Disciples Secondly there is the hatred of the Sonne And thirdlie there is the misse-knowledge of the Father The ground of this is the bitternesse of the heart So it is called Act. 8. vers 23. when Peter speaketh to Simon Magus The ground then of ignorance was the roote of bitternesse in the heart resisting the holy Spirit From this maliciousnesse sloweth the ignorance of God the hatred of the Sonne and the hatred of the Disciples All persecution commeth of malice first and then of ignorance All the persecuters that euer were in the world were like as many blind men Indeed I grant that all persecution will not proceede in alike measure from malice and the gall of bitternesse albeit there is none ignorance but it is joyned with some malice of the heart but the malice is not alike great for in some hearts there is nothing but venome and a bag of gall and some there are who haue lesse and that persecution proceedeth of a blinde zeale more than of bitternesse Looke what Paul speaketh of himselfe 1. Timoth. 1. vers 13. hee had such a blind zeale that hee persecuted the Kirke and when he was going to Damascus he had a kinde of zeale but afterwarde when hee saw Christ hee called that zeale a madnesse and woodnesse So there is some persecution that commeth of a blind zeale some there is that commeth of maliciousnesse altogether And as these two differ in grounds so they differ in mercy also Paul 1. Timoth. 1. saith Before I was a blasphemer a persecuter and an oppressour but God had mercy on me for I did it ignorantly thorow vnbeliefe and therefore the Lord laid it not to my charge But as touching the other persecution that cōmeth of maliciousnesse against the holy Spirit woe to that persecuter for surely it is a rare thing for such a man to gette grace And hee who is obdured in maliciousnesse for it is the ground of sinne against the holy Ghost very hardly obtaineth saluation because with great difficultie is it rooted out of the soule Take heed there is none of vs but there is a piece of venome in vs and wee spoute out venome So wee knowing that God despiteth that venome wee should trauell to gette it away by prayer to God as we feele it for there is no power in Heauen nor in earth that can purge vs but that holy Spirit and he who hath this Spirite of Christ when hee feeleth this bitternesse in the heart will loathe at it and then he will haue his refuge to Christ Take vp in this last verse that Christ and his Gospel serueth to make the world inexcusable for their ignorance is wilfull
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
but that thou art bought with the blood of Iesus Christ and when thou feelest that Spirite within thee thou shalt finde most sweete and comfortable motions yea motion vpon motion rising in thine heart As hee calleth him Father so hee calleth himselfe his Sonne hee sayeth not Father glorifie mee but Father glorifie thy Sonne Euen as the first stile conciliateth the loue of the Father to the Sonne so this stile reconciliateth the loue of the Sonne to the Father So Brethren let all the stiles wee vse in prayer to God sauour of the loue we haue to God whether wee name God or call him Father let that stile smell of that sonly loue we beare to God or whether wee stile our selues to God let that stile shew the loue wee beare to God and then when these two affections meete our affection going vp to him to the Heauens and his sweete affection comming downe to vs there is the tenderest and sweetest meeting that euer was and bee assured and if it were but a little affection that thou bearest towardes him hee will meete it with an infinite loue yea hee will sende downe out of the Heauens by his holie Spirite such loue to thy soule as the tongue of no creature can expresse Haue yee not experience of this that the loue that the LORD beareth to vs in JESVS CHRJST is the sweetest thing that euer was The LORD hath giuen vs leaue to bee homelie with him through CHRIST and they who want CHRJST dare not bee homelie The Pagans and the Iewes who denie the LORD JESVS haue not this familiaritie with GOD. Through JESVS CHRIST wee haue this wonderfull libertie to come to GOD and call him Father But to come to the matter Father sayeth hee glorifie thy Sonne Thâ—n what is it that he seeketh of the Father He seeketh glorie He hath bene humbled exceedingly and layde downe the tongue of man nor Angell cannot tell howe lowe the Lord was layde so being humbled at the pleasure of the Father nowe when hee hath neare finished the worke which hee should haue done hee seeketh againe his owne glory and good reason were he sayth Glorifie me Father with that glory which I had with thee from all eternitie The Sonne with the Father haâ— equall glorie Paul in the Epistle to the Philippians Chap. 2. vers 6.7.8.9 hath a notable place to this purpose and hee pointeth out three thinges of Christ in that place First hee letteth vs see the glorie which hee haâ— before hee came into the world Secondly he letteth vs see how hee humbled himselfe to the Father And thirdly hee letteth vs see how hee recouered againe that glory which hee haâ— from all eternity as comfortable a place of Iesus Christ as is in all the Scripture This then was his glory when as hee was in the forme of God hee thought it no robbery so to be equall with God for he was equall with his Father in glory in all respects Then hee telleth vs of his humiliation But he himselfe of his free will made himselfe of no reputation At the will of the Father the Sonne of God commeth downe from the Heauen and layeth downe that glory and taketh vpon him the vile habite of a seruant the habit of man that is the next degree and being in the habit of man he is made obedient to the death the vildest death that could bee an accursed death the death of the Crosse this was all done at the pleasure of the Father Last he commeth to the recouery of this glory God exalted him in a wonderfull sublimenes highnes he gaue him a name aboue all names that at the Name of IESVS all knees should bee bowed of all things in Heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and that all tongues should confesse that IESVS was the Lord to the glory of the Father In the first to the Ephes also hee speaketh of this his glory saying He raised him vp from the dead he placed him at his right hand in the Heauens farre aboue all empire principality and power and he subjected all things vnder his feet and hee made him head ouer all euen ouer the Kirke it selfe Whose heart is able to tell the glory that the Lord Iesus who was so farre humbled got after his humiliation I recommend often these places to you for if we loue our Sauior it should be our joy to reade of the glory and exaltation of him which he hath in our flesh for his glory is our glory and as he was exalted so shall we be What glory is this which he seeketh The Lord Iesus is very God verie man Now whether seekes he the glory of the Godhead which dwelt in him bodily as Paul saith Col. 2. vers 9. or the glory of the humane nature or the glorie of them both The answere is easie The Lord Iesus is that eternall high Priest and Mediatour betwixt God and man And as hee is Mediatour being both God and man no doubt he seeketh at the Father the glorifying of both the natures The glorifying of the Sonne of God as he was equall with the Father to be restored to him againe and the glorifying of the humane nature to be giuen him of new which hee had not afore but principally the glory of the Godhead Glorifie mee with that glorie saieth hee which J had with thee from all eternitie So chiefely hee seeketh the glory of the Sonne of God that glory he had from all eternity for why As yee heard Philipp 2.6 the Sonne of God had passed farre and layde downe that glory which hee had with the Father therefore Iesus sought the glory of the Godhead As for the glory of the manhood it is but the consequence of the other What is the glory of the manhood vnto the glory of the great God The glory of the nature of man in Christ is nothing but the beames of that glory which commeth from the Godhead The glory of the nature of man in Iesus Christ howbeit it passeth all the glory of Angels and man is nothing in respect of that glory of God which dwelleth in Iesus Christ To tell this more plainely wee see howe the glory of God vttered it selfe in Christ when that blessed body was in the graue and when hee was lying earthed closed in a Tombe then that glorious God beginneth to vtter himselfe for God left him neuer but kept him still in the graue that he corrupted not and the first thing hee doeth hee raiseth vp the dead bodie out of the graue and when hee raised that bodie hee carrieth it vp to the Heauens and setteth it at the right hand of the Father that glorious Godhead shal vtter it selfe in conuoying that bodie at the terrible day of judgement and shall set down that man Christ in the aire as a Iudge to judge both the quicke and the dead As in the first to the Romanes hee declared that he was the Sonne of God mightilie in that
liâ—e and in the life to come for all this preaching and hearing of the Gospel of Iesus Christ is not for nothing and the Lord neuer calleth man nor woman by the preaching of the Gospel for nothing by calling he vttereth that he wil keepe them as this day if hee call on you inwardly by his Spirit hee vttereth that he will keepe and saue you both in this life and in the life to come So that when one findeth that the Lord calleth them and offereth this Gospel vnto them they may conceiue an hope into their heart that the Lord will saue them Why Because the Lord is calling on them by his word This is a token say thou that hee will keepe mee in this life and in the life to come And if Brethren any that is called in this life man or woman attaine not to saluation and that the Lord keepe them not the fault is in themselues because when the Lord called on them they would not answere No not one of you wee saye shall perishe for fault of preaching but because ye made your selues vnworthie when the Lord cried yee would not heare him Ingrate and foolish soule thou shalt perishe because thou wouldest not obeye the Lord so fairelie and gentlie calling on thee But if when thou art called to life by the preaching of the Gospel wilt say Lord I am here if the heart will resound and say Lord I am here if thou wilt answere that is belieue the word preached and bee ready to obey the same that is as sure an angument that the Lord will saue thee euerlastinglie as euer was in the world Now to goe forward to the rest of the arguments I haue sayth he manifested thy Name to thesâ— men whom thou gauest mee being chosen out of the worlde There is the second reason Father thou hast chosen them for thy selfe from all eternitie therefore good reason is it that thou shouldest keepe them Why should hee not keepe his owne Elect. Well then if the Lord vse this argument to the Father to moue him to keepe and saue his Disciples nowe certainly that person that seeth himselfe one of the chosen and elect of God to that life from all eternitie that person who findeth in his heart that he is one of that number hath a sure and infallible warrand that that God who hath chosen him shall warrand him Seeke aye to know your election for if ye be sure of your election ye haue a sâ—ale of your eternall saluation It is vnpossible that a man or woman who is chosen to life can perishe and that hee whose name is once written vp in the decree of God should be lost Ye may aske at mee Seeing it is vnpossible that the Chosen from all eternitie can perish or be lost wherefore then prayeth the Sonne to the Father that hee should keepe his Disciples chosen to life from all eternitie if of necessitie the Chosen must liue though all the world had sworne it wherefore is it then that the Sonne prayeth the Father so earnestly to keepe those who were chosen what neede had hee to pray for them seeing the Chosen must be saued The answere is easie It is true indeede that those who are chosen from all eternity must be safe liue of necessity but it is also true again Brethren he who chooses them to life ordaines them to liue of necessity the same very God from all eternity ordained such middles as prayer sayth good works such other meanes that by them we should attaine to life He who ordaineth life hee ordaineth prayer if thou want the meanes thou shalt neuer enter into life if thou want faith and prayer and good works say with thy selfe thou wast neuer ordained to life deceiue not your selues So Brethren we should take heed to these middles as necessarilie as the Lord hath appointed thee to life as necessarily thou must belieue as euer thou wouldest liue after this life for as necessarily the Lord hath chosen thee to doe good works from all eternitie as he hath chosen thee to life And then when we finde these middles and an heart to pray take heed he will keepe vs saue vs both in this life and in the life to come And when we finde good turns in our hands and faith in Iesus Christ then sayth Peter we confirme our election all these middles confirme our election for the Lord hath chosen vs to these aswell as to the end it selfe If we want these means we haue no warrand that euer the Lord appointed vs to life I will leaue this He coms forward heapeth arguments together to the Father that he would keepe saue them Thine they werâ— there is the reason they were thine own property by vertue of election whomsoeuer the Lord chooseth from all eternity they are the propertie of the Lorde by vertue of election So sayeth the Sonne to the Father They were thine by vertue of election therefore keepe and saue thine owne Whome wilt thou keepe if thou keepe not thine owne whome thou hast chosen Therefore keepe them Well Brethren vseth the Sonne of God these argumentes to mooue his Father to keepe and saue his Disciples now surely that man or that woman who findeth that they belong to God and that they are chosen from all eternity that may saye I am Gods I am his inheritance and property that person hath a sure warrand that God to whome they appertaine will keepe and saue them euerlastingly Get me this knowledge once that thou art Gods and thou shalt knowe assuredly in thine heart that God whome to thou appertainest shall neuer let thee bee lost yea Heauen and Earth shall goe together ere thou perish But yee will say Howe shall I knowe that I am Gods Marke it Brethren The man or the woman that appertaineth to God that God whome to they appertaine ere they slit out of this worlde hee will giue them aduertisement and will let them knowe and feele either one time or other early or late that they are his Paul in the eight Chapter to the Romanes vers 9. hath a notable saying Those who haue not the Spirite of Iesus they are not his On the contrary the man or woman who feeleth this Spirite are his Wouldest thou knowe whether thou be Gods or not If thou findest in thine heart that blessed Spirit that worketh redemption grace mortification of sinne quickening of the newe life and all blessednesse if thou findest him saye I am Gods for God will giue to none his holy Spirite but to his owne secret ones who are chosen from all eternity and so made the property of God Wouldest thou know the Spirite I shall giue thee a token which the Apostle setteth downe Rom. 5. vers 5. If the Spirit dwell in thee he will shed abroade and powre out that sweet loue of God into thine heart he will let thee feele sensibly in thine heart that God loueth thee and testifie to thee that
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