God according to the prescript of his word the same is accepted of him he prooueth this to be a truth because it is the selfe same thing which God himselfe had of old published to the Israelites when he declared vnto them that peace and reconciliation was made betweene God and man by the meanes of Iesus Christ who is Lord not of any one people or nation but Lord of all For the Apostle doth not secretly oppose the ministerie of Moses and of Christ Moses was a minister of the law to the Iewes onely but Christ himselfe and the Gospel is the power of God to saluation to euerie beleeuer first to the Iewe and then to the Grecian and now God is not the God of the Iewe onely but euen of the Gentiles also according to that heauenly song of the Angels when Christ appeared to throwe downe that particion wall which stood betweene the Iewe and Gentile wherein they ascribed not onely all the glorie vnto God but proclaimed peace to all the earth In one word that Iesus Christ is our peace and Lord of all is the scope of this whole sermon and of all the Prophets as after remaineth to be shewed in vers 43. The former part of this verse hath two generall points to be explaned the former touching the peace here spoken of the latter concerning the preaching or declaring of it In the former must be considered 1. what this peace is 2. how it is by Iesus Christ. First by peace among the Hebrewes and Greekes is meant all prosperitie and happinesse for both of them in their salutations though with some difference praied for peace to the parties saluted that is all good successe from God the fountaine of mercie And includeth in it 1. peace with God 2. peace with man both with a mans selfe and others 3. peace with all the creatures of God so farre forth as that none of them shall be able to hurt him further then God thinketh good for his excercise and in this peace standeth true happinesse 2. It must be considered how this peace is by Iesus Christ namely according to the former branches of it First he wrought our peace with God from whom our sinne had sundered and seperated vs three waies 1. by interposing himselfe betweene his Fathers anger and vs who durst not come neere him 2. by satisfying in our stead all his iustice through his blood thereby remoouing all enmitie cancelling all handwritings which might haue beene laid against vs and bestowing on vs a perfect righteousnesse in which God is delighted to behold vs. 3. By appearing now for vs in heauen and making requests for vs in all which he cannot but be heard beeing the Sonne of his Fathers loue in whom he is well pleased and for him with vs his members Secondly he wrought peace betweene man and man 1. by demolishing and casting downe the wall of separation whereby Iew and Gentile might not accord or meddle one with another his death rent downe the vaile that both Iew and Gentile might looke into the Sanctuarie that of two hee might make one people one bodie yea one new man vnto himselfe 2. By changing the feirce and cruell disposition of men who are now become the subiects of his kingdome that of Lyons and Cockatrises they become as meeke and tractable as lambes and little children hauing peace so farre as is possible with all men with the godly for Gods image sake and that they are members of the same bodie with them and with the wicked for Gods commandements sake and because they may become members of Christ as well as they they seeke peace euen with the worst and shall obtaine it so farre as God seeth good who when a mans waies please him doth so ouerrule his enemies hearts as they shall become frendly vnto him 3. By setting euery Christian at peace with himselfe who before had no peace but now hath obtained 1. peace of conscience when his conscience beeing perswaded of his reconciliation with God through Christ it ceaseth to wound and accuse and beginneth to excuse and comfort and so bringeth quietnesse and tranquillitie of minde into the soule which passeth vnderstanding 2. Peace in his will and affections which by grace cease to be rebellious and become daily more pliant to the commandement and obedient to the minde enlightned by the spirit 3. Peace in Christian combate in that grace getteth daily victorie corruption receiueth daily foyles and consumption and so the heart euery day more quiet then other from the power and molestation of it Thirdly whereas so long as God himselfe is our enemie all his creatures are armed against vs to take his part and reuenge their Creators wrong vpon vs by Christ euen this curse is also remooued and it is an expresse branch of the new couenant that the Lord will worke our peace with the creatures Hose 2.18 And in that day will I make a couenant for them with the wild beasts and with the foules of the heauen and with that which creepeth vpon the earth For God beeing in league with vs euen the stones in the feild and the beasts in the feild shall be at league with vs also And the reason is because as then the creatures rebelled against man when he became a rebell against God so when men by Christ are reconciled vnto God and become his sonnes by adoption and grace then is their ancient right and rule ouer the creatures lost by the fall restored in part so as his children neuer receiue hurt from them but such as the Lord sanctifieth both for the furtherance of his owne glorie and their saluation which are the maine ends which God respecteth in all his waies with his elect Thus we see what is this peace and how Iesus Christ procureth it vs whence we may obserue sundry profitable points of doctrine 1. That there is no sound peace without Christ he is the Prince of peace his doctrine is the message of peace and himselfe the messenger of the great couenant of peace There can be no peace with God by Moses nor by the workes of the law whatsoeuer dotages Popish teachers hold to the contrarie only the obedience and merit of Christ is the matter of it which made the Apostles alwaies pray not for peace from merit but for mercie and peace or grace and peace because it only floweth from the grace and mercie of God in Iesus Christ. Secondly it is as cleare as the former that there can be no peace to the wicked man because he is out of Christ. 1. No inward peace in his conscience the which howsoeuer it may slumber for a while or become feared benummed and past feeling yet like a wilde beast will it hastily waken and pursue him and make him restles as Caine and flie when none pursues him 2. No true outward peace for although their houses may seeme peaceable and without feare and all things
rather had good assurance of this which is present and in stead of wishing and wayting tremble at the mention of Christ his comming againe Yet most of these men professors of Christ all of them baptized into his name and all of them will be reputed as good Christians as the best But all this forenamed course hath no sauour or rellish of heauen all that take it vp minde nothing but earthly things and the end of it without timely repentance will be damnation The fourth generall point is the time of Chists resurrection set downe in the text to be the third day To vnderstand which we must knowe that Christ lay not in the graue three whole naturall dayes each of them standing of 24. houres for then he should haue laine 72. houres and haue risen also on the fourth day whereas he lay not in the graue aboue 39. houres and rise on the third But the Scripture vseth a grace or forme of speach whereby two parts of dayes are called by the whole and three dayes put for the time which passed in three seuerall dayes euery day hauing his night belonging vnto him The first day of the three saith Augustine is to be reckoned by his latter part in which Christ was dead and buried not passing three houres of the foure and twentie yet so as both the night before when the Iewes day begunne and the most of that day was spent in taking examining whipping misusing condemning and executing him The second day is to be accounted wholly and perfect from the euening of the day before the passeouer to the euening of the Saboath following standing of full 24. houres The third day is to be accounted from the former part of it beginning at the euening of the Iewish Saboath for Christ lay all night neere twelue houres in the graue and rose in the morning betime about the midst of that naturall day standing of 24. houres And thus is Christ truly said to haue risen the third day Now that Christ should rise the third day and no sooner nor later these reasons shew 1. Hee must rise the third day according to the Scriptures For they had foretold this to be the particular time Hos. 6.2 After two daies hee will reuiue vs and in the third day hee will raise vs vp namely in his owne person for we also were raised with him as we haue seene The Scriptures had also further figured this distinct time in the type of Ionas who hauing laid three daies and three nights in the bellie of the whale was the third day cast on the drie land as our Sauiour himselfe while hee was yet aliue expounded of himselfe Math. 12.40 As Ionas was in the bellie of the whale three daies and three nights so shall the Sonne of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth 2. It pleased him not to rise sooner hee would not presently come downe from the crosse nor reuiue himselfe before hee was buried nor rise presently after hee was laid downe as hee easily could because he would manifest that hee was truly dead as also because hee would lead his Church into some suspense therefore he rose not till the case seemed desperate Luk. 24.21 We trusted that it had beene hee that should haue deliuered Israel and as touching all these things this is the third day that they were done Again hee would no longer deferre his rising 1. least he should vtterly haue endangered the faith of the Disciples which in that short time was sore shaken as not only the former example but the heauinesse of the Disciples themselues to beleeue the newes of it and the wilfulnesse of Thomas plainely bewrayeth 2. Because vpon this euent and keeping touch in this very circumstance of time he had laid all the credit of his person ministerie doctrine miracles life and death For when they come to aske him a signe to prooue himselfe the Messiah he referreth them to this euent after his death that when they had destroied the Temple of his bodie if hee did raise it either after or before the third day or did not on that day raise it they should neuer take him for the Messiah And of this verie circumstance Angels and men had taken notice from his owne mouth Luk. 24.7 when the women came to the sepulchre to seeke Christ after he was newly risen the Angels told them hee was risen he was not there and further wisheth them to remember what he had said to them while he was with them that the third day hee must rise againe nay not only his freinds but his verie enemies had got this by the end and therefore came to Pilat saying sir we remember that this deceiuer said that hee would rise the third day let vs take such order that the last error become not worse then the first 3. The blessed bodie of Christ was not to enter into the least or lowest degree of corruption and therefore hee would lie no longer in the house of corruption Quest. But how could his bodie be preserued so long seeing Lazarus his bodie and our bodies in that time enter into many degrees of it Answ. Christ was indeed balmed and sweetned with odours but all this could not haue preserued him if his soule and bodie had not now beene freed from sinne the mother of corruption Obiect But hee had sinne imputed vnto him Answ. Yea but hee had ouercome all that and slaine it on the crosse for had he not destroied it himselfe had beene destroied by it and subdued for euer vnder the corruption of it In all which regards that is verefied which himselfe beeing risen affirmed Luk. 24.46 Thus it is written and thus it behooueth Christ to suffer and to rise againe from the dead the third day Other things the Euangelists obserue in this circumstance as that it was the first day of the week that is the first day wherein he had created the heauens and the earth and wherein he would create now a new heauen and a new earth and as before he had set vp a meruailous frame of the world but since exceedingly shaken and defaced by sinne he would now restore the world againe and repaire the ruins of it by abolishing sinne as formerly he had filled heauen and earth with the glorie of his power in creation so would he now fill them with the glorie of his power in redemption which is a second creation Hence is it that that day is now conuerted into the Christian Sabbath and called the Lords day or if you wil Sunday but not as the heathen in honour of the sun but as Christians in honour of the the Sunne of righteousnesse Againe the Gospel noteth that this our glorious Sunne rose about sunne rising earely in the morning or a little before it Matth. 28.1 To shewe vnto vs 1. the power of his Godhead who could while his bodie was dead performe the promise which he had
common to all times one common saluation preached by the same Christ who is the same yesterday to day and for euer who is the Lambe slaine from the beginning not actually but by the efficacie of his sacrifice the vertue of which to come they laid hold one to saluation as we doe vpon it past and accomplished alreadie Thus Abel beleeued and receiued testimonie that he was iust before God Heb. 11.4 Thus Noe was made heyre of the righteousnesse which is by faith Euery religion will not saue the professours there is but one way and that a strait one that leadeth to life We come into this world one way we depart many waies so there is but one way to find life euerlasting but many waies to loose it only Christ is the way by his doctrine by his merit by his example euen the newe and liuing way his blood is euer fresh euer trickling down and euer liuing it quickneth them that walke in it and refresheth them with new strength neuer any rent the vaile but he neuer any but he made a high way into the holy of holies in the highest heauen neuer any came to the Father but by him neither was peace euer preached in any other name but his who is Lord ouer all blessed for euer Which is Lord of all Christ may be said to be Lord of all two waies 1. More generally he is with the Father and holy Ghost Lord of all things vnto whom all creatures by right of creation euen the very deuills are subiect Thus he ruleth in the very midst of his enemies disposing of the wicked and their mallice to his owne glorie In this respect he is both owner and possessor of all things and a susteyner and maintainer of all things and that by his word Heb. 1.3 2. More specially he is Lord of all men whether Iewes or Gentiles beleeuing in his name euen a Lord of his Church and in this latter sence Christ is called Lord of all in this place Now Christ is Lord of his Church consisting of Iew and Gentile 1. Because God hath giuen the Church vnto him for his inheritance Psal. 2.8 I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance which beeing a prophecie of the calling of the Gentiles implieth that the kingdome of grace whereof Christ is appointed King in Sion consisteth of all countries and peoples and is not bounded or bordred but with the ends of the earth and sheweth further that all these his subiects are giuen him of God to become his seruants Ioh. 17.2 As thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that hee should giue eternall life to all whom thou hast giuen him 2. They are so giuen vnto him as he must win them before he can enioy them Hee winneth partly by conquest partly by ransome hee both conquereth and casteth out the strong man that held them captiue spoyleth him of his armour and weakneth his arme for euer as also he payeth a precious ransome for them to God his Father so as beeing now redeemed and bought with a price they are no longer their owne but the Lords that bought them 3. Because when he hath thus dearly purchased his Church he contracteth himselfe in spirituall marriage with her and so becommeth her Lord Hos. 2.18 I will marrie thee for euer vnto my selfe yea I will marrie thee vnto mee in righteousnesse in iudgement in mercie and in compassion Ephes. 5.23 As the husband is the wiues head so is Christ of the Church So as if a man be a Lord of that which is giuen him of that which he hath redeemed and ransomed of her whom he hath married into his bosome in all these regards by as good right is Iesus Christ the Lord of his Church and euery member of it Obiect But how can Christ be a Lord and a seruant too Isa. 42.1 Behold my seruant I will leane vpon him and he tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant Answ. Christ considered as Mediator is after a speciall manner both his Fathers seruant and yet the Lord of his Church In all the worke of mans redemption he serued and obeyed his Father beeing sent of his Father for this end he was subiect to the death he praied vnto him gaue him thankes learned obedience by the things he suffered not as God equall to his Father but as our Mediator and suretie and yet by all these things he became our Lord and the King of his Church And herein the Apostles trauell as in their maine scope to prooue that Iesus Christ whom the Iewes put to death hath shewed himselfe the Lord of glorie and the true Messias Act. 2.34 Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that Iesus which they crucified Lord and Christ. Obiect But how can Christ be the Lord of all seeing many yea the most wil not obey him Ans. Doth a king cease to be the Lord of all his country because some which were his subiects are gone out in rebellion against him besides howsoeuer it standeth with his glorie and grace to suffer with patience the vessels of wrath yet at length he shewes his power against them in bringing forth his whole displeasure vpon them Vse Hence in that Christ is in generall Lord of all we learne that all creatures are his and therefore we must neuer vse any of them without leaue from him or without returne of praise and thanks vnto him none of them are sanctified to our vse without the word and prayer And if we haue leaue from him we ought in sobrietie to vse them 1. Cor 10.26 eate whatsoeuer is sold in the shambles making no question for conscience sake Hēce followeth it also that he hauing an absolute power ouer all he may doe with his owne what he will who shal hinder a potter to frame one vessel to honour another to dishonour which I speak because many cannot endure to heare of a decree of reprobation who must frame their iudgement to his will who cannot but be iust and good and leaue off to reason with God Hence also he may make one rich another poore at his pleasure The rich and poore meete this Lord maketh them both Secondly in that Christ is in speciall Lord of his Church sundrie things are to be noted as first That none can haue Christ to be a Iesus that is a Sauiour who haue him not for their soueraigne and Lord whosoeuer thou art that challengest him for thy Sauiour see thou acknowledge him thy Lord. Quest. How may a man haue Christ to be his Lord Answ. By the practise of fower duties 1. by preseruing in the heart a feare and reuerence towards his person Malac. 1.5 If I be a Lord where is my feare Lordship requires subiection Psal. 45.12 he is thy Lord and reuerence thou or bow vnto him Now this feare must proceed from loue for if any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed and
is the author of the word he deliuereth Moses could teach but the eare this Prophet teacheth the heart Moses was a Minister of the outward circumcision this circūciseth or rather baptiseth with the holy Ghost and with fire let not vs therefore dispise him that speaketh from heauen for if they escaped not which refused Moses that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heauen And can we want reason 1. In his anointing we are commanded by a voice from heauen heare him Matth. 17.5 2. he deliuereth the whole will of his Father we shall therefore be perfectly taught if we heare him 3. we may safely rest in his doctrine because with him are the treasures of wisedome 4. In a word he hath onely the words of life euerlasting and whither should we goe Secondly hence we learne that seeing euerie beleeuer is anointed with Christ and in Christ we must all be carefull to finde this holy oyle running downe from the head vpon vs the members 1. Ioh. 2.27 The anointing which yee receiue of him dwelleth in you And indeede our verie name of Christians putteth vs in minde that we must haue our measure of that oyle of grace which was powred on Christ without measure so as if we carrie the name and title of Christ we must see that the nature and gifts of Christians appeare in our liues Rev. 1.6 he hath made vs Kings and Priests vnto God And it was long before prophesied of the Church of the newe testament that the sonnes and daughters of it shall prophesie and all this by vertue of this anointing Adde hereunto that Christ is not perfectly anointed til his Church be for Christ may be said to be anointed two wayes either properly in his owne person as considered in himselfe or figuratiuely by the vse of Scripture as he is the head of his Church which ioyned vnto him maketh vp whole Christ as the fathers call him or mysticall Christ. Thus Paul calleth Christ vnited with the Church by the name of Christ 1. Cor. 12.12 we must therefore helpe on the perfection of this latter seeing he is alreadie perfect in the former To this purpose euery man must become a King for so he is if he partake of Christs anointing in beeing euer in the field in combate against sinne in taking vp armes against Satans hellish power in getting daily dominion ouer his owne rebellious flesh and wicked lusts For if thou beest a Christian thou hast ten thousand rebells to encounter and as many strong temptations and lusts against which thou must stand out to victorie and here faith must be thy victorie which grace is attained by this anointing But Oh the miserie of infinite numbers euery where meere bondmen and captiue caytifes to Satans suggestions and held down vnder the power and tyrannie of their owne lusts in whome there is no resistance no fight neuer a stroake they strike against their owne sinnes the strong man is gone away with all verie cowards against the deuill nay couragious champions for him and yet will be called Christians no no there is neuer a droppe of Christian blood in such this anointing as yet neuer came neere them here is no spirit no power but such as ruleth in the world Againe thou that wilt be a Christian must be a Priest to offer vp thy selfe soule and bodie an acceptable sacrifice of sweet smell vnto the Lord to offer vp thy prayers and prayses the calues of thy lippes these are the odours of the Saints to offer vp thy sinnes to be sacrificed and slaine by the knife and sword of the spirit in the Ministerie of the word to offer the sacrifices of almes and mercie with which sacrifices God is well pleased to offer the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart which the Lord despiseth not and lastly to offer if neede require thy life and dearest blood for Christ and his profession But how many titular Christians be there who indeede are no better then Belzebubs Priests who offer their soules their bodies their sences themselues wholly to the seruice of the deuill in sinne and vnrighteousnesse for praier and praise they curse sweare and blaspheme most remorselesly feirce and hard hearted in themselues and vnto others and so farre from this anointing as many of the Heathens who neuer heard of Christ would be ashamed of them and wonder what kind of God that Christ should be by whome they will be called Lastly thou must be a Prophet thou must haue the knowledge of God in thy selfe thou must hold it out and impart it vnto others within thy family and without for to this thou art anointed as also to hold out Christ in a constant profession which tyeth euery man to know and acknowledge the truth of God that he may be able to propagate it to others but especially Ministers Magistrates Parents and Masters whose speciall calling besides the generall fastneth this dutie vpon them These are the cheife things to which others might be added wherein euery Christian ought to testifie himselfe anointed by Christs anointing that hee communicateth as well in his graces as in his name and that he hath receiued some good measure of that oyle of grace which was powred out vpon him without measure for as in the head the Godhead dwelleth bodily so in euerie member though not the Godhead it selfe yet a diuine natrue is apparant 2. Pet. 1.4 Now this godly nature is nothing else but those excellent renewed qualities and precious gifts which the holy Ghost bestoweth vpon the regenerate by meanes of this anointing and is opposed to naturall lust and corruption in the same vers Who went about doing good Now we come to Christs execution of his office according to his former calling and furnishing For no sooner receiueth he gifts and calling from his father but he manifesteth and putteth forth the same in most painefull preaching and most powerfull working of miracles which hee did not for a brunt or by starts and fitts but he went about doing good By which words is noted his diligence in absoluing and finishing his course within his vocation and calling not seeking herein himselfe nor the praise or applause of men nor the kingdomes of this world but denying himselfe and glorie spent his whole life in doing good vnto others suffering himselfe to be subdued vnder a most shamefull and cursed death that hee might bring others to life who were as yet his enemies and lying in the shadowe of death Wherein he propounded himselfe a worthy patterne and example of imitation vnto all such as haue receiued gifts and calling to any office in Church or common wealth who are not to hide in a napkin those talents but bring them forth and traficke with them and that not for their priuate as seeking themselues but for the common good and not for a start or brunt but thus
word of Christ should bee fulfilled see Iohn 18.32 Thirdly this kind of death carried with it a more speciall infamie then any other as at this day wee count hanging a dogs death that is an infamous kinde of death because it was especially execrable by the law which accursed euerie one which was hanged on a tree not that this death by any law of nature or in it selfe was more accursed then burning or pressing or by the sword for then neither the theife on the crosse could be saued nor any of our fellons thus executed whereas the scripture in the one and our owne experience in the other speake the contrary but it was onely accursed by the ceremoniall law of Moses so that euerie malefactor of the Iewes that was hanged was in the ceremonie accursed was the type of Christ the substance of all ceremonies who on the crosse was really and truly accursed sustaining the whole wrath of God which is the curse of the lawe and not only ceremonially and typically as they were This the Apostle Paul teacheth Gal. 3.13 that Christ was not onely dead but made a curse for vs his reason is because he died on a tree and therefore are we admonished Phillp 2.8 to consider not only that Christ was obedient vnto the death but to the death of the crosse for any other death had not so much concerned vs. Fourthly this death which so much concerned all the Church of Iewes and Gentiles must not be obscure and therefore the Lord would not haue Christ to die in a tumult or in secret but most conspicuously and apparantly at Ierusalem the great citie of the Iewes but tributarie to the Romanes as it were vpon the theatre of the world at a solemne feast when all the males out of all quarters must appeare before the Lord vpon a crosse high erected that all might see him and on that crosse himselfe proclaimed King of the Iewes in three seuerall languages the Latin Greeke and Hebrewe that all sorts of men might come to the knowledge of it and further because in his death standeth our life he must be thus lifted vp that all men might see him certainely dead and that he died not in shew and appearance only but indeede and in truth really and perfectly for which cause also our Apostle doubleth his affirmation they slew him and hanged him on a tree which most necessarie ground of faith and religion Satan hath mightily by many heretikes sought to ouerthrowe the Turks at this day are held off from the faith in this Messiah by that diabolicall suggestion that not Christ himselfe but Simon the Cyrenian was miraculously crucified in his stead And therefore because the assurance of the death it selfe assureth vs more fully of all the fruits and benefits of it the Scripture is carefull so pregnantly to confirme it as that it cannot be denied not only that he was in the sight of a number of thousands dead on the crosse but by his three dayes buriall by the peircing of his side out of which came water and blood by which was manifest that the verie call of his heart was peirced by the confession of his verie enemies who would beleeue nothing but their own sences and lastly by the fact of the souldiers who whereas they hastened the death of the theeues by breaking their legges they broke not his because the text saith they sawe that he was dead alreadie The fourth point is the vse of Christs crucifying First in Christ on the crosse take a full veiw of the cursednesse and execration of sinne and consequently of thine owne wretchednesse both in regard of thy wicked nature and cursed practises euery sinne beeing so lothsome and odious in the eies of God as the least could neuer be put away but by such an ignominious death of the Sonne of God himselfe If thou lookest at sinne in thy selfe or in thy suffrings yea or in the suffrings of the damned in hell it will seeme but a slight thing but behold God comming downe from heauen and him that thought it no robberie to be equall to his Father in glorie taking flesh in that flesh abasing himselfe to the death of the crosse on that crosse susteining the whole wrath of his Father and so becomming accursed for it and thou shalt see it in the natiue face of it and indeed this one consideration setteth a more vgly face vpon sinne then the law possibly can for that sheweth our sinnes to be a knife to stabbe our selues withall but this to be the very speare that went to Christs heart which is the most odious apprehension in the world all the sinne that euer was committed on the earth could not bring a man so low suppose one man had committed them all as the least sinne of the elect brought the Sonne of God seeing hee that falleth lowest falleth but from one degree in earth to another but Christ falleth from the glorie of heauen into the very sorrowes of hell whosoeuer thou art then that makest light account of sinne and pleadest that God is mercifull looke a little in this glasse wherein behold Gods iustice and sinnes desert in the Fathers iust indignation against his wel-beloued Sonne whom nothing but the cursed death of his only Sonne in whom hee professed himselfe well pleased could appease Secondly seeing all the knowledge of Christ profitable to saluation is of Christ crucified let vs desire to know nothing in comparison but Christ and him crucified seeing such a great Apostle as Paul was desired to know nothing else Now to come to the distinct knowledge of it we must consider these three points 1. The vertue and power of this death in it selfe 2. The application of it vnto our selues 3. The fruits which must appeare in vs by such application For the first Looke vpon this death of the Sonne of God not as of another dead man neither thinke or speake of it as of the death of another ordinarie fellon executed but as of a death which slew all the sinnes of all the beleeuers in the world and as a destroyer of all destroyers a death wherein was more power then in all the liues of all Angels and Men that euer were or shall be yea such a death as hath life in it quickning all the deaths of all that haue benefite by it Here we haue a mightie Sampson bearing away the gates of his enemies by death killing death by suffering his Fathers wrath ouercomming it by entring into the graue opening it for all beleeuers by his blood shedding vpon the crosse reconciling all things Col. 1.20 neuer was their such an actiue suffering of any man which tormented and crucified the Deuils themselues when the deuils instruments were tormenting and crucifying him it is peerelesse and vnmatcheable no Martyr euer thus suffered though Popish doctrine would match as Corriualls some of their Saints sufferings with it the most faithfull Martyrs suffred but dissolution of soule and bodie
keepe them lowe in their owne eies as also prouoketh them to walke awfully in regard of God and watchfully ouer their hearts and liues still groaning to God vnder their daily infirmities By this meanes out of the eater commeth meate as was said in Samsons riddle Iud. 14.14 2. Death is not now to Gods children as it was to Christ ioyned with a sence of Gods anger against it or paying a debt to the iustice of God for it were against the rule of Gods iustice to require the paiment of the same debt twise but wherein they haue a sweete sense of Gods fatherly loue wherein sinne is perfectly to be abolished whereby way and entrance is made vnto life euerlasting where we shall be with God and Iesus Christ which is best of all The Saints of God in these regards haue rather desired thē feared it for what man hauing bin tossed a long time vpon a dangerous sea would feare the hauen or who beeing wearied with the trauells of the day would feare to goe to his rest at night 3. Sence of hell keepeth in vs an hatred of sinne and a longing after heauen yea how beneficial the terrors of conscience are to Gods children were too long here to discourse The speach is as true as common the way to heauen lyeth by hell gates 4. The Deuill maketh vs flie to God our helpe and relie vpon his strength yea when men by no other meanes wil be drawn God setteth the deuill in their necks to dragge them to heauen as a graue Diuine speaketh 5. All the euills in the world worke to the best to them that loue God and hasten them to the fruition of the victorie obtained by Christ they weigne them from the world and the loue of it And whereas they are as prone to pitch their tabernacles here belowe as others God vseth these as meanes to keep his from being of the world euen while they are in it They conforme them to Iesus Christ their head and traine them in the imitation of him both in patience and obedience Now how could any of these parcells of Gods curse against the sinne of man or mans cursed sinne it selfe bring to any such sweete and profitable fruits but by the ouerruling power of Iesus Christ who bringeth life out of death light out of darknesse and who only can make his owne wise out of ranke poyson to sucke most sweete and soueraigne preseruatiues which who doth not hee neuer as yet knew the benefit of Christ his resurrection The second sort of blessings procured to the Church by Christ his resurrection is the fruition of good things which it putteth vs in possession of euen in this life by giuing vs our first fruits and a sweete taste but vpheapeth our measure after this life when our haruest commeth and we admitted to feed fully at the supper of the lambe The benefits which I will mention are three First we are confirmed hereby in the whole truth of all our religion the maine foundation of which laid by all the Prophets and Apostles is that Iesus Christ the sonne of Marie was the Sonne of God the true Messias perfect God and perfect man and so indeed hee was such a one as hee was foretold to be one that was to die and yet saw no corruption one who must make his soule an offering for sinne and yet must surviue to see his seede and prolong his daies one that had power to laie downe his life and power to take it vp againe In a word one that was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit that is by vertue of his dietie raysing that flesh vp againe Let all the Iewes and Atheists in the earth dispise the indignitie of his death we with the Angels will admire the glorie of his resurrection The second benefit is that hence we are assured that our 1. Iustification 2. Sanctification 3. perfect saluation is not only obteined but applied vnto vs. For our iustification before God by meanes of Christ his resurrection hee brought into vs an euerlasting righteousnesse in that hee not only bare our burden vpon himselfe but bare it away from vs for what is his resurrection else but his actuall absolution from our sinnes which were imputed vnto him and for which he subiected himselfe vnto the death Whence we grow vp in full assurance that the whole price is not only paid to the vttermost on Christs part but that the satisfaction is accepted also on his Fathers whose iustice would neuer haue absolued him if all the bills and writings which were to be laid against vs had not beene fastned to the crosse and so cancelled and fully discharged so as now we may with the Apostle hold out a flagge of defiance and challenge our righteousnesse for who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe And the same Apostle thirsting after that righteousnesse which is by faith in him counteth all things losse and donge saue only to know him and the vertue of his resurrection 2. From this resurrection of Christ issueth our sanctification which is our first resurrection or raising of our soules from the death of sinne because in euery reconciliation making must be two conditions 1. A forgetting vpon satisfaction of all old wrongs and iniuries 2. A binding from future offences the former Christ effecteth by his death the latter by his resurrection into the which whosoeuer are grafted they cannot henceforth serue sinne but beeing risen with Christ they seeke the things which are aboue where Christ sitteth they cease further by sinne to offend as such who are begotten to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead and for this cause our Sauiour was carefull after his departure hence to send out his spirit in more plentifull and abundant manner then before that hee might continually inspire his people with ardent desires after the beginnings of that life eternall vnto which Christ himselfe is risen who then manifest themselues members of such an advanced head when this new life manifesteth it selfe in them Thirdly our perfect saluation is also hence fully assured vs for if our Lord Iesus hath foyled all the powers of hell death and darkenesse in himselfe when he was yet dead how much more doth he it for vs his members beeing now aliue if he could driue backe and disperse all spirituall enmities euen when he was in hell it selfe after a sort how much more now beeing ascended farre aboue all mooueable and aspectible heauens for we must not behold the victorie triumph of Christ as performed onely in and for himselfe but as the ground and pledge of the victorie and conquest of all the beleeuers in the world Looke vpon this sonne of Dauid prostrating the great Goliah of hell for all the Israel
of God as for gold and treasures he accounteth of the graces of faith loue hope humilitie and the feare of the Lord aboue all pearles and precious things he prouideth for himselfe and his the food that perisheth not and thinketh himselfe warmely and comely arraied when he hath put on the Lord Iesus Christ as knowing that onely the garment of this righteousnesse can fence him from all the iniurie of wind and weather The naturall man doth not more seriously listen after great purchases of land and fields as he doth cast with himselfe to purchase the pearle hid in the field for which he will sell himselfe as we say into his shirt nay and further his owne selfe libertie life and if he had any thing dearer then that As for the things of this life if he haue them not he wanteth not his portion If he haue them his care is that they haue not him or become his portion If riches increase hee setteth not his heart vpon them If they decrease his heart faileth not with them In abundance hee carrieth himselfe warily and weanedly In want cheerefully and contentedly The things he hath hee vseth as not vsing them the things he hath not he knoweth he hath no good vse of them or else hee should haue them And thus as the naturall man bestirreth himselfe and all his motion tendeth to the bettring of his outward estate at home so contrarily doth an heauenly minded man accounting himselfe from home while hee is heare in the bodie bend his cheife care to settle his estate at home in heauen and all his trading and conuerse in this straunge country tendeth to the enriching of him in his owne country Further if we looke to the naturall mans course in the matter of his religion we shall see as great difference betweene them For it is cleare that whereas matters of religion are a burthen to the one they are the ioy of the other The one as heauie to pray to heare to read and meditate on the word and of his owne estate as a beare to the stake if law or shame or some such by-respect mooued him not it were all one to him to be on his horse backe as in the Church the other would account his life tedious were it not for these meetings of God and his people in the assemblies and those sweet refreshments they bring backe from thence The one if hee pray sometimes in publicke he maketh little conscience of priuate prayer in his family and so of other priuate duties to which God and a good conscience would bind him as strait as to the former The other walketh wisely and religiously in the midst of his house and preserueth the worship of God at home and maketh his house a little Church and house of God The one maketh little or no conscience of such sinnes as either in comparison of other or in his owne corrupt conceit are smaller sinnes such as are inferior oathes idlenesse gaming sinnes of omission idle words or hurtfull vncleane or wandring thoughts words hee thinketh to be but wind if he meane no hurt and if he meane hurt but doe none thoughts are free As for the sinnes of the time hee will not be so vndiscreete as to swimme against the streame he is here violently carried without resistance into a gulfe of knowne euills and all is well he doth but as others doe and it were worse for him if he did not the other maketh conscience of all sinne lesser sinnes and secret sinnes hee can hate all euen those which hee cannot auoid he hateth the euill that himselfe doth and willingly will not displease God though all men be therefore offended with him To conclude this point the one seeketh to approoue himselfe vnto man the other to approoue his heart to God because hee knoweth hee made it and knoweth what is in it And this shal serue for a tast of the opposite disposition betweene naturall and spirituall life The second note to discerne this heauenly life by is the similitude or agreement which it hath with the life of the Saints in heauen For the life of the Saints in heauen must be a counterpaine of the beleeuers vpon earth to which they must be daily framed in sundry regards 1. In respect of the things they are called from 2. In respect of the things they are called vnto 1. The Saints in heauen are called from three things 1. the world it selfe 2. the corruptions that are in the world through lust 3. The companie of the wicked of the world Euen so must beleeuers in the world in their degree and measure carrie themselues as those that are chosen out of the world and such as are bought from the earth medling no more with earthly things then needs must enioying them so as they ioy no more in them then in things which are not their owne but borrowed only for a time vsing them so as they abuse them not because they are to be counteable for them abiding in their earthly businesse and callings so as they be neuer earthly minded in one word so desiring pursuing hauing holding and parting from the profits of this life as those to whom God hath shewed better things then any below yea and esteeming of their present life it selfe so indifferently as that they can account the day of their death better then the day wherein they were borne 2. As the Saints in heauen beeing deliuered out of the prison of the bodie haue all the bolts and chaines of their corruption struck off so the godly who haue their parts in the first resurrection haue after a sort changed their liues and put on a diuine nature they haue bid farewell to the follies of their former times yea renounce and as farre as frailty will permit loath their sinnes saying vnto them as Ephraim to his reiected Idols get you hence what haue I to doe with you they that were of the Synagogue of Satan are now in the Temple with true beleeuers Thus is it said of the 144000. that were bought from the earth that they were not defiled with women but were virgins that is sanctified in part and washed from their filthinesse and will haue no more fellowship in the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse wherein sometimes they were cheife actors 3. The Saints in heauen neuer ioyne with the wicked of the world any more that beeing verefied which Moses spake to the Isralites concerning the Egyptians The enemies whom your eyes haue seene this day you shall neuer see more euen so the faithfull hate the companie of the wicked with whom they can neither doe good nor take any whereas before their calling they were mixt with them and ran with them to the same riot of excesse Now their fellowship is dissolued they are no more companions with them the light of the one admitteth no communion with the others darknes and that they are often forced to dwell in Mesech with them it
commission and commandement to his Apostles to become Preachers witnesses as of other points so especially of this that howsoeuer he was adiudged to death according to that iudgement executed and laid as one foyled by death for the space of three dayes yet he is now gloriously raised againe and appointed of God the Iudge of all that euer haue liued doe or shall liue to the end of the world In the verse wee haue three things to be handled 1. that preaching is a reuerent and necessarie ordinance of Christ himselfe And he commanded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie 2. The obiect of this ordinance or what we must preach namely Christ that hee is c. 3. What particular doctrine concerning Christ must more especially be preached that he is ordeined of God a iudge of quicke and dead In the first of these are two branches to be cleared 1. That preaching is the ordinance of Christ. 2. The necessitie which will easily be deduced from the former That Christ instituted this holy ordinance is plaine Matth. 28.19 Goe preach to all nations baptising them c. the which commission that it was extended beyond their persons to such as should in after ages succeed them appeareth by his last words and behold I am with you to the end of the world And that the ordinarie teachers are no lesse the gift of Christ then the Apostles themselues is as plaine Ephes. 4.11 he therefore gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and some Teachers Neither must this trouble vs that both in this place alleadged as also in some other it is attributed to the Father to send and giue Pastors according to his owne heart and sometime to the holy Ghost Act. 20.28 Take heede to your selues and the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers 1. Cor. 12.11 and all these things worketh euen the selfe same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally euen as he wil For 1. all these externall workes are common to all the three persons and where any one of them are named in any action done without themselues no one of them is excluded but all the three must be included 2. The diuinitie of Christ is not obscurely prooued in that the same glorious actions of the Father and the holy Ghost are ascribed also vnto him as from heauen whither he ascended to giue seuerall gifts for the worke of the ministerie 3. That wee might better instruct our selues in their seuerall order and manner of working the selfe same action for the Father is the fountaine and the first author of all these gifts the Sonne properly is the distributer and giuer for the Father worketh all in vs by the Sonne and both of them by the communication of the blessed spirit euen as the sunne by his beames sendeth light and heat vnto the inferiour creatures Obiect But this ordinance of preaching seemeth not to be Christs because it was long before his incarnation and nowe remaineth after his ascention when he cannot call men as he called the Apostles while hee was on earth Answ. The Ministrie of the Gospel in the proper acception of it hath two things to be considered First the beeing of it Secondly the vertue and efficacie of it The beeing of it as it was the Ministerie of the new Testament wherein glad tydings were published to all nations was temporarie beginning in the time of Christ and shall haue end with the world yet can it be called no new doctrine because the summe and substance of it was though more obscurely deliuered to Adam and the Fathers of the old Testament But if we consider the vertue and efficacie of it it is an eternall Gospel during from the beginning of the world to all eternitie Now therefore will it not follow that because it was before his incarnation it was not his but rather therefore it was his who was before Abraham was the cheife Prophet of his Church that raised according to the seuerall ages of his Church such men as were fit either more obscurely as before his comming when rather some Evangelicall promises of things to come were preached then the Gospel it selfe or else more manifestly to preach and open the misteries of the kingdome of God And this latter kind of preaching was not before his incarnation neither was it fully setled before hee ascended into heauen and from thence gaue gifts to men that thereby hee might shew himselfe a carefull head and gouernour of his Church euen then when hee was set downe at the right hand of his Father It is true indeed that before Christs suffring he called his Apostles instructed and furnished them with many gifts of the spirit yea and these gifts were increased very much after his resurrection whereby they were more confirmed in their Apostleship and although they did before Christs death exercise the office of Apostleship in Iudea amongst the lost sheepe of the house of Israel yet had they not receiued that fulnesse of the spirit and power from aboue which was necessarie to Apostles before they had receiued in visible forme of fierie tongues the spirit in abundant measure whereby they were before all the people of the world after a sort solemnly inaugurated and confirmed to be the Apostles of Iesus Christ neither had they till after Christs resurrection receiued this commandement of which our Apostle speaketh To preach to all nations and to euery creature vnder heauen the practise of which commandement they tooke vp after that they hauing staied at Ierusalem for the promise the spirit came vpon them and they were endued with power from on high As for the second branch of the obiection that because ordinarie Pastors and teachers are not immediatly called by Christ beeing now in heauen therefore they are not ordained by him it is false for of the Pastors and elders of Ephesus is said that the holy Ghost made them ouer seers and Paul accounteth Apollos ordained by Christ as well as himselfe 1. Cor. 3.5 What is Paul and who is Apollos but the Ministers by whom yee beleeue and as the Lord gaue to euery man only the difference must be obserued in their calling both are called of Christ but the Apostle by himselfe immediatly not by men the ordinarie Pastor called of him by the Ministerie of man I call it a Ministrie because the whole power and authoritie of the Church in calling Ministers is but a seruice vnto Christ approouing declaring and testifying to the Church those whom Christ hath called And therefore both before his incarnation a long time and after his ascension also the exhortation which was enforced vpon beleeuers turne in this tenor to day if yee heare his voice harden not your hearts Whence we conclude that his voice hath ouer sounded in the Church and so shall doe in the ministrie of his seruants vntill his comming againe to iudgement hee that heareth them heareth him
hee that receiueth them receiueth him hee that refuseth them refuseth him hee by his seruants entreateth men to be reconciled by them hee bindeth and looseth saueth and destroieth Secondly for the necessitie of this ordinance can any denie it who seeth the Sonne of God so carefull before his death after his resurrection and ascension also into heauen to furnish and fit with an extraordinarie measure of the spirit Apostles and Apostolike men for the founding of the Church of the new Testament and not only so but now sitting in his glorie at the right hand of his Father is mindfull of his promise and is with his Church to raise vp successiuely faithfull Pastors and teachers gracing them with varietie of excellent gifts and blessing those gifts for the building vp and repairing of his bodie and the gathering of the Saints of whom as of liuing stones is reared a spirituall house or temple fit for his owne vse But because most men are willingly ignorant of this necessitie of preaching I will a little inlarge it by some reasons 1. Consider the condition of those that are vnconuerted and it will appeare necessarie for them No man was euer saued while he was in his naturall blindnesse no vnbeleeuer could euer get within the gates of the holy Citie no hard hearted or impenitent person could euer so remaining see the life of God Neither was euer any man ordinarily drawne out of this fearefull estate of damnation but by the word of God preached which is the light to the blind eyes the ground of faith for how can they beleeue except they heare and the hammer of the Lord to breake asunder the hardest stones in mens hearts Who were euer begotten to God without this immortall seede and these spirituall Fathers who euer became liuing stones in the building without the hewing and polishing of Gods builders what harvest was euer brought into God without these labourers what soule was euer pulled out of the kingdome of darkenesse and brought to be a member of Gods kingdome but by this meanes The word in this ordinance is called the Gospel of the kingdome of God that is whereby men attaine both the parts of Gods kingdome both that of grace here in this life and that of glorie in the life to come from which effects it is called 1. the word of grace Act. 20.32 2. the Gospell of glorie 1. Tim. 1.11 also the word of reconciliation because hereby sinners are reconciled to God the word of life because it quickneth the dead in sinne the Gospel of peace because it alone pacifieth the conscience and setleth it in the peace of God to conclude The good word because it onely reuealeth Christ who procureth all good vnto beleeuers Who seeth not then the necessitie of preaching seeing none are added to the Church without it Act. 2.41 no spirituall life can be preserued without this feeding Act. 20. no Saints are gathered nor no bodie of Christ built vp without Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4.11 12. And it pleased not God by any other meanes but by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue such as beleeue Secondly if we consider those that are called to knowledge and faith it will appeare also a most necessarie ordinance in regard of them For 1. seeing a man cannot safely and comfortably passe through any part of the day without the light strength and comfort of the Scriptures it pleased the Lord to set vp this publike ministerie in his Church that euen beleeuers themselues by hearing the Scriptures daily explained obscure places opened by those which are clearer and figuratiue speaches cleared by the proper might attaine not onely to a clearer vnderstanding of the Scriptures but also to haue them printed in their minds and memories so as they might be able to drawe them into continuall vse 2. Euen the best haue nature in them and their daily faylings and without daily repaire growe weake in faith wearie of wel-doing and vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. And therefore though they should not need to come to increase their knowledge yet haue they neede to heare their faults controlled to be provoked vnto dutie to be confirmed in their obedience to be strengthened in their faith reformed in their liues comforted in their troubles and spurred to bring every thing to vse and practise and therefore the best may be still disciples and learners in the schoole of Christ. 3. The agreement fellowship of the members of the Church is excellently hereby maintained and preserued not onely by communication of gitfs and graces while some teach and some learne but also while it is a meane to hold them all of a minde whereas without this publike ministerie if euery one were left to his priuate sense and reading it could not but breed corrupt and priuate opinions to the dissoluing of mindes and affections And this special benefit of this publike ordinance the Apostle aimed at Eph. 4.13 Till we all meete together in the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man implying that the scope of the ministerie is to bring and preserue all the members of the Church in this vnitie of faith and knowledg which in this world it cannot doe but so soone as it hath done this it selfe shall cease namely in the life to come He must needes be wilfully blind that espieth not very great necessitie of the word preached for the strengthning of those ioynts and bands whereby beleeuers are knit both vnto the head as also vnto the members Thirdly the necessitie of this ordinance appeareth in that the deuil and wicked of the world haue euer resisted it aboue all other as beeing the greatest enemie vnto his kingdome which maketh him fall downe like lightening in the hearts of men Hence is it that he stirreth vp Iannes and Iambres and all the rable of Egypts inchanters against Moses and setteth all his power against him to prooue him a counterfait Hence is it that hee will not want a Pashur to smite Ieremie nor an Amaziah to doe as much to Amos. Hence raised he vp many armyes against Paul Elymas Alexander Hymeneus and Philetus Diotrephes and Demas and from his mouth he casts out floods of reproachfull and virulent slanders against him that he is a pestilent and seditious fellow that hee speaketh against the law and against the Temple away with such a fellow it is not fit that he shoul◠liue And hath the deuill growne any whit more calme or can hee digest Pauls preaching better since Pauls time no sure he is no changling except because his time is shorter his malice be strōger and more raging I wish Gods faithfull ministers euerie where found it otherwise But to omit other proofes obserue generally the voice of the multitude Where there is no preacher but some poore creature to serue as they say or starue them rather it is wonderfull how well people thinke themselues
shall in his humanitie be seene visibly discending in the clouds as he was seene visibly to ascend by a cloud this was long since prophecied that euery eye should see him and how meete is it that the Iudge of all should be seene of all Thirdly in regard of his Church which as it is iustified by his first appearing in humilitie so must it be glorified by the second appearing of the head of the church in glorie Fourthly that he might in this last act of it fully accomplish his kingly office for when he shall haue faithfully finished this iudgement which is committed vnto him he shall immediatly deliuer vp the kingdome vnto his Father not that he shall then cease to bee an euerlasting king of glorie but because he shall no longer exercise any temporarie gouernement as now he doth Hee shall not rule his kingdome by ciuill magistrates nor his Church by such officers and ministerie as are now appointed vnder him for the gathering of the Saints It shall not stand in need of the means of edification by the word Sacraments or censures the Lambe himselfe shall be all these in the midst of the throne of God In both these regards he shall deliuer vp his kingdome but he must first appeare in a most glorious humanity to finish this great businesse For these reasons is this great worke committed to the Sonne immediately to execute Vse 1. Is Christ appointed the Iudge then may euery godly man and woman comfort themselues seeing their Sauiour shall be their iudge If a mans brother were to be his iudge hee would not feare but to get the day and the cause to goe with him but hee is the elder brother of euery beleeuer hee bad the women goe tell my brethren that I am risen againe I know saith holy Iob that my Redeemer or neere kinsman liueth yea hee is nearer then a brother beeing the husband of euery faithfull spouse If the wife should haue her louing husband who loueth her better then his owne life to iudge her cause what need shee feare but the matter will goe well with her what neede the members feare the head Let vs comfort our selues with these words and lift vp our heads because this day wherein our head shall shewe forth both his owne and our glorie who are his members draweth neere 2. This doctrine serueth also to daunt the wicked and vngodly They shall see him whom they haue pearced hee is their iudge against whome all their villanies haue beene committed whose seruants they haue villanously intreated whose kindnesse and peaceable conditions they haue despised and refused What a fearefull sentence awaiteth them when they shall come before him no mervaile if they call for the mountaines to couer them and the hils to hide them rather then they should appeare before the presence of his glorie whose wrath is as a consuming fire and no stubble can stand before it Oh consider this yee that put farre from you this great day of the Lord speaking peace to your selues whilest euery thing wageth warre against you in that you still by liuing in your sinnes proclaime open warre against the Son of God Why should you any longer abuse his patience why will you treasure vp wrath for your selues against this day of wrath why will you fit your selues as fewel for the fire of that day when the Lord Iesus shall come from heauen in flaming fire to render vengeance against all them which knowe not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Well if you will not be warned but you will goe on in such impenitent courses know it that the partie wronged by your sinnes is he who is appointed of God to be your iudge you will thinke it will go hard with Pilar seeing he is to be his iudge who was iudged by him to death and with Iudas that betrayed him and with the souldiers that put him to death but change the persons the case is your owne Secondly in the execution of this office two things must be considered 1. the persons vpon whome here said to be the quicke and the dead 2. the manner of it First by the phrase of quicke and dead is meant all mankind without exception of what age condition sex or qualitie soeuer they be euen all that euer haue receiued life from God from the first man that euer liued vpon earth to the last that shal be found liuing at the comming of Christ euen all these shall be iudged And the dead are mentioned as well as the liuing because the carnall and vnbeleeuing heart of man maketh more question how those who haue beene resolued into dust many thousand yeares agoe can bee quickened and raised to iudgement theÌ„ those that shall bee found aliue at that day therefore is the Scripture verie expresse in this particular Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead both great and small stand before God 2. Cor. 5.10 We shall all appeare before the iudgment seat of Christ. In like manner those speaches admit no exception which we euerie where meete withall as Euery eie shall see him euery man shall beare his owne burden euery man shall giue account of himselfe vnto God And that wee should not doubt of the certainty hereof the Scripture condiscendeth so farre to our weaknesse as to shewe vs the meanes how this great worke shall be brought about As 1. by the mightie and powerfull voice of Christ which whilest he was in his abasement could call dead Lazarus out of his graue Ioh. 5.28 those that are in the graues shal heare his voice 2. By the ministerie of the Angels who shall all not one excepted come with him and they shal gather the elect from all winds and present and force the wicked to the barre before the Iudge of all the earth euen then when they shal flie to the hills to couer them if it were possible from his presence 3. By the diligence of all the bruite creatures who in their kinds shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God The sea shall giue vp her dead so shall death and the graâ—â—e giue vp their dead the verie fire shall giue vp againe the bodies it hath wasted In a word all the creatures shal helpe forward this work of the great day which although it transcend the shallow reach of man yet is it not aboue the power of God Obiect But how can the quicke and dead bee then presented to iudgement seeing the godly shall not enter into iudgement and for the wicked they are iudged alreadie for he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie Answ. First for the godly they shall not enter into the iudgement of condemnation 2. they are by their particular iudgement acquitted alreadie but they must also by the generall iudgement receiue in their bodies which till that day are not absolued according as they haue done in the flesh 3. they must be solemnely and publikely inaugurated and invested into the glorie
if we search further into the Scriptures we shall not want store of reasons to the same purpose As 1. according to the increase of faith is the increase of all graces as a man beleeueth so he loueth prayeth and obeyeth and so is loued heard and recompensed and no meruaile seeing not only the measure of graces here but of glorie hereafter is according to the measure of faith as appeareth in the parable of the talents 2. As a child once borne groweth daily vnto the talenesse of it so those that haue beene borne vnto God haue euer encreased except in temptation and desertion in faith and godlinesse and so drew daily nearer their saluation then when they first beleeued so must we walke from faith to faith from strength to strength of weake becomming strong not standing in the infancie or childhood but growing vp to our full age and old age in Iesus Christ. 3. It is true that a graine of true faith is very powerfull and preuailing but the strength of faith can doe much more and therefore the full sayles wherewith Abraham was carried to the promise are set before vs Rom. 4.5 Againe euery measure of faith if true is acceptable to God and maketh vs so because Christ is laid hold on vnto life but the greater measure is much more a smoking flax shall not be quenched that is the least sparkle of true faith shall not be despised but a flame of faith is of great bewtie and brightnesse If a poore man wrastle haltingly with Iacob he shall preuaile and get a blessing to carrie away but if a man stand stoutly with the Centurion and Syrophaenicean Christ himselfe will be foyled after a sort hee will admire it and professe hee found not so great faith in Israel and according to this great faith shall it be to this partie Seeing therefore the Lord hath still afforded the Ministry and word of faith let this be thy cheife aime to find the worke of it vpon thy faith and content not thy selfe that Christ may say to thee Oh thou of little faith but rise vp in the degrees of it that hee may say as of that woman O man great is thy faith this will beare thee vp in the waues of temptation and affliction no blast or billow shall sinke thee not all the gates of hell shall preuaile against thee But alas how is this principall ende of the ministerie neglected of the most and many come to heare a sermon and that is all some rather to see a sermon or be seene at it then to heare it some to knowe more then they did some to reforme something as Herod who heard Iohn gladly and did many things but fewe to learne to become beleeuers which till they haue done all morall precepts vrged vpon them are but lost because the inside is not yet cleane and fewest of all doe liue by their faith in the Sonne of God for of all sinnes that the spirit shall rebuke the world of this is the cheife that they beleeue not in him Thus much of this worthy doctrine concerning faith which is the scope of all the Prophets and Apostles The third point in the verse is the fruit of faith namely that all that beleeue in his name should receiue remission of sinnes Where for the meaning must be knowne 1. what is Remission of sinnes 2. what it is to receiue it 3. the persons receiuing it namely those that beleeue in the name of Christ euen all they and none but they First Remission of sinnes is a grace of God whereby for the merit of Christ he accounteth the sinnes of beleeuers as no sinnes and acquitteth them from the guilt and punishment of them all Where I say it is a grace or fauour of God this remission of sinne is distinguished from all other for man hath also from God power and commandement to remit sinnes and that either publikely or priuately The former when the minister by authoritie from God remitteth the sinnes of beleeuers and repentant sinners by publishing the grace of the Gospell and applying it vnto such And such as are thus ministerially loosed in earth are loosed also in heauen The latter is of euerie priuate man who hath also receiued a commandement of God to forgiue the sinnes and offences which his brother hath committed against him not that any man can properly forgiue the sinne of his brother so farre as it is a breach of Gods commandement but as it is wrong and iniurie against himselfe and euen this priuate remission of a mans brother if repenting confessing and asking pardon is ratified and confirmed in heauen also but if they seeke not forgiuenesse at vs we must still not onely our selues forgiue but seeke it for them of God saying Father forgiue them yea and forgiue vs as wee forgiue them But this remission of sinnes is proper vnto God to whome it belongeth to say I will forgiue 1. Because it is he against whom all sinne is committed Psal. 51. Against thee against thee haue I sinned and who can forgiue the debt but the creditor If any man shall offer to forgiue another mans debt what doth he but deceiue the debter who thinketh him selfe free from that which lyeth as heauie vpon him as before as also abuse and wrong the creditor whose right without his knowledge he hath enchroached vpon 2. The Lord challengeth it as his prerogatiue proclaiming himselfe The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gratious slowe to anger abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne and Isay 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquitie for myne owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes 3. Our Sauiour in his prayer taught vs to begge the forgiuenes of our debts onely from our father which is in heauen 4. The Church of God hath euer ascribed vnto the Lord alone this honour of mercie which is a part of his glorie which he will not impart to any other Micah 7.18 Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquitie passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his wrath fer euer because mercie pleaseth him Psal. 130. vlt. Hee will redeeme Israel from all his iniquities 5. The verie Iewes themselues accounted it an high blasphemie for any man to take vpon him to remit sinnes Luk. 5.21 Who is this that speaketh blasphemies who can forgiue sinnes but God onely Whence it plainely appeareth that the Pope or any other of his shauelings whilst they challenge though a subordinate power properly to forgiue sinnes and do not content themselues with the ministeriall publishing in the name and authoritie of God alone and pronouncing forgiuenesse to all repentant sinners become open blasphemers against God and not without an high wickednesse set themselues in the roome of God 2. I say in the description that the Lord doth account the sinnes of his elect as no sinnes and that for