fall down before a stock or stone Slauery of Idolaters of all slaueries this is the greatest it is true it is a slauerie to be subject to a tyrannous man in this worlde to his foull affections to abyde all things he will injoine thee but in the meane tyme while as thou serues the liuing and true God thou art a free man and thou hast a singulare comfort and consolation in thy heart and if anie will call the a slaue care not for that for thou art a free man to God 1 Cor. 7. 21. but albeit he were a King and had all the vvorld vnder his dominion if he be a slaue to a false fained God an Idole of all slaues he is the greatest slaue for not to knovve the true God is the greatest slauerie that is for there is no consolation but in God if thou had all the libertie in the vvorld thy soule is in slauerie if thou serue not the liuing and true God I will not call a Nation a free Nation a King a free King if they serue not that liuing God Will I call a Kingdome a free Kingdome that is subject to a miserable slauerie of Idolatrie Woe to that slauerie and thou Scotland if thou lose the seruice of the liuing God of all slaues thou shalt be the greatest because so shamefullie thou hast lost it Dauid in the 16. Psal vers 4. telles of the miserie of the Idolaters and of the libertie of them who serues Iehouah As for the Idolaters saieth he They multiple sorrovv vpon sorrovv to themselues then he rejoyses in his owne felicitie who serues the liuing God Iehouah the Lord saieth he is the portion of my inheritance Therefore ere thou lose the seruice of this true God and Christ his Sonne lose thy life and all that thou hast in this world This is the onelie liberty to serue the liuing and true God Now followes the second end of their conuersion which is to looke for the Sonne and his comming the first was to serue the Father of this life the second is to awaite for the comming of the Son Marke euerie word It is not eneugh brethren to serue the Father the liuing and true God in faith in loue in all seruice that pertaines to him in this lyfe except thy eye throgh hope reach out beyonde this lyfe in the meane tyme of thy seruice Hope of life to cōe Thou art heere novv seruing him looke that thy eye reach out beyonde this life to see and to hope for an other life There are many in wealth in honour in ease in healthe of bodie in this worlde that vvould make a Couenant with God and say Lorde Let mee dwell still to serue thee heere and it were for euer and I oblishe me neuer to looke for more at thy hand giue me this lyfe and wealthe and pleasure thereof I shall serue thee to let me liue heere for euer and I shall binde my selfe neuer to craue more of thee alas I trovv there be many of this sort Fy on it this can not be rooted out of the hearts of the most godlie euen as if either God had gotten glorie sufficientlie or we could get perfite happinesse in this life Alas if our hope were onelie in this lyfe and our blessednesse reached not out beyonde this life of all men the christian man wer most miserable I had rather chuse to be a Turke nor a Christian except my hope reache out beyond this life all the pleasure and seruice I can do to God in it If thou prease to be a true christian think not with thy self I shall driue ouer this life quietly shal stand fast in al trouble but thou must bide tossing toyling otherwise thou can not be a christian for throgh many tribulations thou must enter into the kingdom of heauen Act. 14. 22. Thē ye who wold serue God serue him as pilgrimes in a strange country far frō him what euer thou be doing here in his seruice walking in thy godly exercise in the mean time let thy hart be with Christ let thy hart be wher thy life is hid vp with Christ Paul giues an example of this in his own person saying I liue here as a Citizen of Heauen Philip. 3. 20. A Citizen in the heauen is a pilgrime on the earth And therfore he subjoynes liuing as a pilgrime heere and a Citizen of Heauen I hope for my saluation in Christ A pilgrime hes euer his eye out of this world The second Epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 5. vers 7. 8. he shovves that in this lyfe he walked in faith and confidence but saieth he I chuse rather to flit and remoue out of the bodie and to dvvell vvith my Lord Iesus Fy on thee that is so nailde throgh head and heart to this world that thou hes euer thy heart and sight heere Certainelie I am of this minde that the thing that euerie one of vs should most care for should be to steale away peece peece from this earth Lowse thy heart peece and peece and free thee from this wofull life Now this hope and looking is for the Sonne something pertaines to the Father thou must serue the liuing and true God something pertaines to the Son thou must looke for him from Heauen Thinke not to honour the Father without the Sonne The Iew is vaine that thinks to honour the Father without the Sonne No it will not be serue the Father but honour the Son also or else the Father shall accept no honour at thy hand Ioh. 5. 23. For all the honour of the Fathers is in the Sonne But marke the speciall honour that is geuen to the Sonne in this life The Sonne is honoured in faith in this life in beleeuing that he is alreadie come in the world that he is come in our nature and suffered the death for our sins that he died was buried rose againe from the death thou honoures him in beleeuing this But this is the speciall pointe of this honour to hope that he shall come againe as he come once so looke that he shall come againe But brethren neither hes his glorie yet appeared as it is in deed and shall appeare neither yet your grace appeares as it shall when he shall come againe And therefore the speciall seruice we can doe is to await for his comming ad to glorie vnder that hope No beleeue thou in the Father as thou wilt if thou hope not for that glorious returning of the Sonne thou honours him not This is all to stirre vs vp by hope to looke for an other life for all these things King and Kingdome vvill avvay and they who hoped for him in this lyfe shall shine in glorie with him in that life eternall Fromwhence shal we hope that he comes where shal we cast our eye if we looke for a man to come from one part our eye will euer be on that part where from he should come whither it be
that will vpset it The lose thou getst by deceite will neuer be vpset all the kings and doctors vnder Heauen will neuer set vp thy lose thou getst by defection Alas what hes that 〈◊〉 win when he hes win all the world and lost his soule by falling away from the trueth Now the Lord let euery man see that there is nothing comparable to this hurt of deceiuing What pleasure can thou haue of all the kingdomes of the world when thou hast a troubled hart and conscience when thou hast an vnquyet soule within thee Therfore as we say It is good to sleepe in a sound skinne Change not a setled minde and pacified hart with all the world and preferre a sound minde inlightned with the knowledge of Christ to all the honours and dignity in the world And because we are so vnstable mynded and so ready to alter that except we be surely anchored on Christ we shall be euer beatten away with euery light wind of false doctrine Therefore we haue to pray that our soules may be anchored by a sure faith on Christ The Lord therefore by his grace anchor our soules on Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and praise for euer AMEN THE FIFTH LEC TVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 34. for that day shal not come except there come a departing first and that that man of sinne be disclosed euen the sonne of perdition 4 Which is an aduersary and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is vvorshipped so that he doth sit as God in the Temple of God shovving himselfe that he is God WELBELOVED brethren ye haue heard the request the Apostle makes in the beginning of this second chapter to the Thessalonians He requests and adjures them by the comming of the Lord Iesus and by our assembling vnto him at his comming that they suffer not themselues to bee deceyued or put by their mindes troubled in hart and affection especially in this head of doctrine that concernes the comming of the Lord in the latter day and that they should not be deceiued by false teachers who weÌ„t about to deceiue them in this point teaching that the day of the Lord is at hand he shall come incontinent ye shall be found aliue when he shall come This age and generation shall not be past when he shall come This pointe of false doctrine that these false teachers went about to perswade the Thessalonians and so to vnqiuet them held them ay in vexation of sprit and minde looking ay for Christs comming assuring them that he should come ere that presentage should end Now in this text the Apostle enters to a refutation of that false doctrine and he proues that the day of the Lord was not instant that the day of the Lord would not beat such a tyme that it should not fall out in that present age Now marke his reasons If the day of the Lord were instant then there should not bee an vniuersall Apostasie and defection from the faith of the Lord Iesus Christ before the day and comming of the Lord Vniuersal defection must goe before the Lords coÌ„ming For vvhy This Apostasie must craue a large space of tyme. Then he subjoines but so it is before that day shall come there shall be an vniuersall Apostasie and defection from the faith and trueth of Christ Iesus And so hee concludes Therefore it is not so as they say The day of the Lord is not instant and is not so neere hand as they goe about to perswade you Marke his reason The proposition and first part of the argument is not expressed in the text The next parte the assumption is sette dovvne in the text to witte The day of the Lord shall not bee before that an vniuersall defection be first Now before I come to the wordes take vp shortlie this one thing The Thessalonians to whom he wrytes being deceiued thought that incontinent Christ should come and that they should be rest to the Heauen with him and glorified from hand The Apostle to put them out of this consaite tels them ere they and the Church be rest vp to Heauen and glorified there that they shall suffer yet on the earth some trouble there shall be yet a great alteration and vexation in the Church of God Brethren mark it The battell must goe before the victory let none looke for the victory before he fight thou wilt not come sleeping to Heauen Thou must fight on earth ere thou come to glorie and ere thou triumph in Heauen thou must be victorious on earth throgh many tribulations we must enter in the kingdom of heauen This is that which the Apostle teaches the Thessalonians Novv to come to the vvordes of the text and to make this matter plaine we shall insist particularlie on euery word taking vp the meaning of Gods Spirite heere And first â—here occurres this vvord Apostasie which must be before the day of the Lordes comming This Apostasie is nothing but a falling avvay a flyding aback This Apostasie is not a particulare Apostasie or defection of this man or that man onely of any one person or any two or three persons onely But it is an vniuersal defection of multitudes of men and wemen in this world For the word ye see is generallie set downe in the text to be a departure without any restriction It is not said a departing of this man or that man but generallie a departing Therefore the Apostle must meane of a departing and falling away of multitudes and great multitudes Now all the question is what Apostasie meanes the Apostle of I am not ignorant how a great number of the olde Latine fathers in the Church vnderstandes this Apostasie to be meant of the defection of many Nations from the Empyre of Rome It is true indeede the Nations of the world fell away from the Romane Empyre But how well and rightly they vnderstood this Apostasie of that falling away from the Romane Empyre God knowes And it is a wonder that so many learned and quick spirited men should haue erred together in this pointe so long Indeede it is likly that when one of them fel in this error all the rest followed on in troupes without further discretion or judgement But I leaue them What Apostasie is this then that the Apostle meanes of heere I shall tell you It is an vniuersall defection not from an Emperour or earthly King but from the King of Heauen Iesus Christ and from his faith This agrees with the course of this text and with that which followes immediatly of the Antichrist the head of this Apostasie This agrees with the speaking of this same Apostle in sundry other places In the 1. Tim. chap. 4. verse 1. he foretels of this vniuersall defection from the faith The wordes are The spirit speakes euidently that in the latter dayes some shall depart from the faith and
beatting dovvne of the beast onely Iesus Christ ought to haue the glorie of the victorie Whether ye looke to him who strikes the battell the armour or them who are souldiers in the battell all lettes you see the glorie should be giuen to Christ alone What is more vyle nor the vvord of the crosse and this vyle ministrie and yet he vvill haue him vvreaked and consumed with the word and ministrie He chuses not great and mightie things not kings and Emperours to this worke wonder not nor be not moued that ye see so many kings stand by the beast to see the Emperour the kings of France and Spaine stand for him but the Lord will vse base meanes to destroy the beast that the glorie may be giuen to him allone Now to come to the other pointe his abolishing He is abolished at the last When shall this be When Christ shall come againe How shall it be The face and presence of Iesus shall deuoure him As soone as the Lord shall come downe as soone shall he vanish and be burnt vp as caffe with the fire The word of the Gospell consumes him and burnes him but not quyte vp But the face of Iesus in that day shall burne him quite vp and then that prophecie of Iohn Reuel chap. 20. verse 10. shall be accomplished He shall be casten in a lack of fire and brimstone which shall neuer haue an end Then brethren beware of this word for if it worke not to lyfe but be a sauour of death to death if it doe thee no good in this lyfe be assured that most glorious face of the Lord in the world to come shall destroye thee Therefore looke that the word be an instrument to thy consolation and the power of God to thy saluation Looke how the word is effectuall to thee in this life for so shall the presence of Iesus be to thee in the life to come either to thy saluation or damnation The face of the Lord shal consume thee if the word hes wroght no renewing of thee in this life It is said in the chapter preceeding verse 9. They which did not obey the Gospell shall be punished vvith euerlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the gloree of his povver one blenke of that face shall consume in an instant all the reprobate Craue then that the word may be powerfull that ye may escape this fire of that presence of Iesus in his comming Then heere ye may perceiue that the kingdome of the Antichrist is not altogether abolished it takes a long tyme ere it be taken away Wonder not that he hes such a power in this earth for certainly this prophecie telles vs that there shall be some face of the Antichristes kingdome vntill Christ come Looke not that Papistry end ere Christ come look not that euery reformed Church shall be quite of them but they shall be as thornes in their sides till Christ come and let no man ouer soone triumph but let euery one make him for the battell There are none of the professours of Christs trueth but they should prepare them for battell Therefore let euery one seeke this armour that being enarmed with that spirituall armour so far as God will giue the grace echone may breath on the beast to his consumption that so God may be glorified and then shalt thou triumph for euer with him To whom be praise and glore for euer AMEN THE SEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 9. 10. 9 Euen him vvhose comming is by the vvorking of Satan vvith all povver and signes and lying vvonders 10 And in all deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnesse among them that perish because they receiued not the loue of the trueth that they might be saued WE returne again in this text to the description of the Antichrist to be reueiled the Apostle before had casten in some things in the way pertaining to the present purpose Ye heard the Antichrist to be reueiled was descriued from his nature First of nature he should be a man like other men then hee is descryued from his properties first a sinfull man addicted to sinne a slaue of sin and iniquitie next the sonne of perdition a man from all eternitie ordeined to perdition Then he came to his actions that he shall doe when he shall be reueiled first in malice of his hart he shall oppone him to euery thing called God in Heauen and earth to the powers and majesties here on earth to the Majestie of God and Christ in Heauen Another action when he shall be reueiled in pride he shall exalt himself aboue all thing that is called God and is worshipped in the world Yet more in pride he shall sit in the Temple of God not like a common man but as God in Gods seate on the consciences of men and wemen in the Church of God And last he shall showe himselfe to be God in all things in all his titles and styles and al his dignities and shall bereaue God so far as lyes in his power of all dignities and honors that pertaines to him allone Novv to speake nothing of that hes beene spoken before In this 9. verse the Apostle returnes againe to the description of the Antichrist and in this place he descriues him from the effectualnes or effectuall power he shall haue in men ordeined for perdition when he shall come and be reueiled in the world Then to come to the words Satan effectual by and in the antichrist Whose comming sayes the Apostle shall be according to the effectuall povver of Satan As he would say when he shall come and be reueiled in the world Satan that sent him shall be effectuall and powerfull by him powerfull in men and weâ—en that perishes that are ordeined from al eternity to perdition Heerein shortly learne then Euen as God by Iesus Christ in his ministrie whom he sends out will be effectuall in these who are his if all the world had sworne the contrare So Satan the enemy of God and â—atan in this pointe will prease to be like God and in his maner will be effectuall and powerfull in them that are ordeined for death by the Antichrist As God in his church for saluation will be powerful by his ministry so the Antichrist wil be powerfull to them that are ordeined to perdition Yet brethren the words imports more to wit that Satan shall not onely be effectual by the Antichrist outwardly but he shal be effectuall inwardly in the hart of him and when he shal work by him he shal not work by the mouth or hand outwardly but by the effectual working in his hart and will inspire in his hart to do the turne In this pointe likewise Satan preases to be like God When God by his minister as effectuall he not onely workes by his mouth or his hand or any outward member but he workes by his soule and inward affections cheefly 1.
them the presence of the Lord himselfe to be with them all Last he salutes them and the effect of the saluatation is a prayer for them The grace of our Lord Iesus be with you all Amen So all consistes in prayer Then learne He beganne this Epistle with prayer and salutation throughout the whole Epistle prayer is mingled Now in the end he multiplies prayer What meanes this Euen this that in vaine is all doctrine exhortation admonition and precept whatsomouer all preaching is nothing except the Lord by his Spirit worke inwardlie in the harts of the hearers all is nothing but vvinde except he moue their affections Now the way to obtaine this inward and secreete operation of the holy Spirite is oft-tymes to turne to God by prayer beseeching him to be povverfull and to joyne his Spirite vvith the vvord and to joyne vvorking vvith speaking And therefore hovv oft so euer we teach and ye hear the hart and eye should be lifted vp and set vpon him who hes keeped Spirit and power in his owne hand to giue as he pleases No man can giue you it neither the Preachour nor no Angell can giue you it It is onely in the hand of God and Iesus Christ to giue thee Spirite and povver and to joyne vvorking vvith speaking And therefore the eye in preaching should euer be set on Christ The Pastour should pray and haue his hart aboue to dravve dovvne grace to himselfe and the people that the vvord spoken may be effectuall in the hart othervvise preaching and all hearing is in vaine Now to come to the words The first thing he prayes for and wishes is peace The Lord of peace sayes he giue you peace for euer and euery vvay The thing then he wishes is peace that is quyetnes rest and tranquillity concord agreement all these words expresses the meaning of the word Peace The contrare is vnquyetnes What peace is dissention c. This Peace is the blessednes felicity happy estate of Christs kingdome which is his Church both in earth and Heauen And all the graces we haue in Iesus Christ tends to this end that his subjects may liue in peace quyetnesse and joy for euer and that shall be the end when we are in Heauen peace and joy for euer Ye see the happy estate of a worldly kingdome what is it When men liues in rest and enjoyes peace and quyetnes that is the happines of a worldly knigdom therefore in the 1. Timot. 2. 2. he commaundes prayer to be made for all men For Kings and superiour povvers To what end Euen to this same end that vve may liue a peaceable and quyet lyfe Euen so the blessed and happie estate of Christs kingdome is an heauenlie peace concord and quyetnesse And therefore Rom. 14. 17. he makes this peace to be essentiall to the kingdome of God that he defines it by this peace saying The kingdom of God is righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost This Heauenly peace is onely in Christs kingdome in his Church in Heauen and earth And the subjects of the kingdome of Iesus Christ are onely they that enjoyes this peace here and after this life for euer for without the Church of Christ there is no true peace If thou be no subject in his kingdome thou hast no rest no true peace for there is no true peace for the vvicked sayes the Prophet Esay 57. 21. If thou be of that number that is without the kingdome of Christ no peace for thee and the end shall proue thou hadst neuer true peace in this world Now to go forward He craues that it may be giuen to them Then Peace the gift of god it is a gift Heauenly peace is the gift of God thou hast it not by nature None is borne with peace but with warre and inimitie by nature all are borne with dissention strife and debate there is no heauenly peace by nature And the whole lyfe naturall what is it but a continuance in war debate and strife first against God next with thy selfe and thy owne conscience And againe a strife against the Angels in Heauen and men on earth and all the creatures of God thou art an enemie to them and they vnto thee vntill the tyme thou attaine to that new birth in Iesus Christ and then by vertue of that birth thou getst this heauenly and spirituall peace for then thou beginst to liue at peace first with God himselfe and next with the Angels in Heauen and men in earth and with all his creatures So looke how needfull it is for thee to haue regeneration for if thou want it thou shalt be at war for euer thou shalt haue no peace But how getst thou it It is a gift And who shold giue it The Lord of peace The giuer of it must be the Lord with dominion and power with command And as vnder his Lordship other things must be so peace must be at his command either to giue it or hold it Now who is this Lord that hes this power of peace and war Who is he that sayes All povver is giuen to me in heauen and earth Matt. 2â— 18. This Lord is Iesus Christ And therefore ere euer he came in this world and tooke on him our nature Esay 9. 6. he styles him the Prince of peace And Paul Ephes 2. 14 styles him peace it â—elfe he is our peace-maker And in Iohn 14. 27. Christ speaking to his Apostles takes on him to be the giuer of peace and sayes My peace I leaue to you and giues you So this Lord of peace is the Lord Iesus Christ who hes in his handes all grace and glorie in Heauen and in earth Yet to goe forward The lords style ansvver able to the grace 〈◊〉 praier Why is it that he makes a choise of this style rather then of any other Certainely this style he receiues here agrees with the petition and thing asked at his hands peace is craued he is styled the Lord of peace what euer we aske of Christ it should be in faith that he hes power to giue it aske iâ— thou peace aske it not but in an assurance that it is in his hand and that he is able to giue it Now this assurance that all is in his hand it cannot be better vttered then by the Name and style we giue him askest thou wisdome say Lord of wisdome giue wisdome askest thou peace say Lord of peace giue me peace askest thou mercie say Lord of mercy giue me mercy So the name and style we giue to the Lord when we craue ought at his hands should be answerable to the grace and mercy we aske for then we vtter our faith and assurance that he hes such a grace and power to giue vs. This hes bene the forme of Pauls prayer and of godly men of old and should be imitate by vs. The Lord hes many styles he is called the Lord of peace mercy and justice the Lord
childe so he takes a similitude from a mother toward her infant there is no busines nor care the mother wil leaue vndone for the infant nor respecting her hyre or gaine but vpon an inteere affection to the infant Then learne shortlie A pastor must be like a mother Paul Gall. chapter 4. verse 19. compares him selfe to a mother trauailing in birth vntill Christ be reformed in them O my little children vvith vvhom I trauaile in birth vvhile Christ be reformed in you Novv he coÌ„pares the pastor to a nource taking paines to nourish them when they are borne vpon a motherlie affection without eyther respect to goods or honor and he compares the people who by the pastor are fed in Christ nourished by the sincere milk of the vvord to infants As a yong infant craues no other nourishment but milke no more shouldst thou craue to be nourished with any other food but the sinceere milke of the word and as the infant would die except he be fed with milke so all they that refuses to be nourished with this sincere milke of the word if they continew die shall they Thou Lord Laird or Barron Husband-man die shall thou if thou be not nourished with this sincere milke of the worde If it be so betweene the people and the Pastor Affection of the Pastor to the flocke as betwene the childe and the mother the Pastors lesson is Looke what tender affection the mother hes to her birth to cherishe it to take paines and trauaile to wake and watch ouer it and all vpon a motherly affection without respect of honour or gaine the lyke shoulde thy affection be towards thy flocke and on paine of thy lyfe looke thou seeke them and not theirs The Mother seekes the well of her childe and not his goods nor honour so seeke thou the well of thy flocke and not their goods nor honour and let thy affection be motherlie and when thou sees the motherlie affection of the mother to the childe say The Lord giue me such an affection to my people as this mother hes to her childe let my honour and gaine be to get them nourished The honour of a Minister is in Heauen and not in earth his gaine is in Heauen So Paul sayeth 1. Thess 219. What is our hope or ioy or crovvn of reioysing are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming to glorifie his elect To this Christ with the Father and the holy Spirite be glorie and honour for euer AMEN THE SIXT LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 8 Thus being affectioned tovvard you our good vvill vvas to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of God onelie but also our ovvne soules because ye vvere deare vnto vs. 9 For ye remember brethren our labour and trauaile for vve laboured day and night because vve vvould not be chargeable vnto any of you and preached vnto you the Gospell of God 10 Ye are vvitnesses and God also hovv bolilie and iustlie and vnblameablie vve behaued our selues among you that beleeue 11 As ye knovve hovv that vve exhorted you and comforted and besoght euerie one of you as a father his children 12 That ye vvoulde vvalke vvorthie of God vvho hath called you vnto his kingdome and glorie THE Apostle ye remember brethren leauing off for a tyme the purpose that was in hand to witte that rejoysing he had with them for the graces of God was in them In the second chapter he falles out to a discourse concerning himselfe making mention of his manner of entrie among them how it was not in vaine For when he entred among them he entred with libertie although that hee had suffered immediatlie before at Philippi notwithstanding of the battaile he had in the meane tyme while he preached to them Thereafter ye heard the last day he remoued from him selfe all suspition of vnsincere dealing in preaching the Gospell chalenging to him self sincerity in preaching Seing in preaching and speaking he had not man before his eyes but God not content onlie to remoue from him vnsinceritie in 〈◊〉 he discends to the fountaines of vnsinceritie and vncleane dealing which are three namelie flatterie auarice 〈◊〉 and these three rootes of vnsincere and vncleane dealing in the 〈◊〉 he remoues from him he flattered them not he was not greedie of their goods he was not greedie of honour Albert saieth he I might haue beene chargeable to you as the Apostle of Christ ye were addebted to me both of your goods and honour yet I would haue none of them but I liued in the midst of you vnburdensome submitâ—ing my selfe to all fashâ—ie and paines for your sakes as a mother nourishing her childe will vndertake all paines for the childe so did I for you Now in the first vvords of this text we haue red that vvhich he spoke of the nource cherishing her childe he applyes to him selfe Thâ—â— sayes he 〈…〉 tovvardâ— you The vvord is in the first language I was desirous of you I had a longing desire of you such desire as a mother hes to her infant she can not suffer her infant to be out of her sight to be absent from her incontinent she grieâ—es for it she is not well vvhile thee haue it in her sight The same affection sayes the Apostle I beare tovvards you I loue you I can searcelie vvant your presence for being absent from you I haue a continual care of you There is the meaning of the wordes in the which ye see that loue that motherlie affection to call it so the Apostle bare to this Church of Thessalonica The first grace in the Pastor is to loue his flock this is the ground of all the rest if he want it all the rest is deare of the hauing if he had all the learning and eloquence and vtâ—â—â—ance of men and Angels all is nothing if there be not loue and affection in his heart to his flock Paul 2 Cor. 6. recounting our many marks of the Apostle which he bare amongst the rest in the 6. verse of that chapter he accountâ— vnfamed loue to be one for nombring those marks he declares what spirituall loue he bare to the Corinthians saying in the 11. verse O 〈◊〉 my mouth is open to you our heart is made large so that if it were possible I vvould take you in my heart ye dvvell not narrovvlie in me but ye dvveâ—l 〈◊〉 in your ovvne bovvelles I loue you but ye loue not me so intirelie as I doe you In the 11. chapter of that Epistle verse 28. stryuing vvith the â—alse Apostles he shovves vvhat carefulnesse he had of the Church Beside sayeth he 〈…〉 I haue the care for 〈…〉 of the vvorlde 〈…〉 but I am afflicted I vnderstand there are none afflicted but I am afflicted vvith him 〈…〉 It is vvonderfull to knovve vvhat affection hee bare to the Church of Christ Ye
them exhorting comforting rebuking them so must a Pastor stand in the midst of his flock to exhort comfort and rebuke them loue must be in dealing with discretion and all men must not be delt with alike all men must not be exhorted because all lyes not back in the way they who are sluggish must be exhorted all must not be comforted there is some ouer proude and haue need of a reprofe they onlie who mouâ—nes are to be comforted In a word that which is spoken to Tim thie 2. Epist â— â—5 there must be a right cutting of the word a Pastor must be a cutter and caruer and according to his discretion he must giue to euery man Now I finde this and ye see it he takes God to be witnes and the people among whom he dwelt saying ye know ye are witnesses to me Learne it The flock amongst whom the Pastor hes bene shall be witnesses to him in that great day either to allow of him and his doing or to disalow to absolue or to condemne If he hes discharged a faithfull duetie in his life his flock will stand vp before God and Christ and justifie him in their presence in that day if he hes bene vnfaithfull they shall make a complaint of him that he was an vnfaithfull Pastor who hes not done his duetie in his vocation Therefore let euery man take head hovv he behaueth himself vvith any people for either they shall be condemners or absoluers of him Now he exhorts them To vvhat thing To vvalke Not to ly down and sleep but to get vp on foote and vvalke in this world because this life is but a pilgrimage and a sleeping pilgrime is nothing worth If thou goe not on thou shalt neuer come to thy journeyes end How should they vvalke Not euerie vvay for it were better for men to be sitting or sleeping then to be walking wrong Walke vvorthie of God There is a kinde of comelinesse in going on the vvay a man may goe on the vvay in a comelie manner or else he may goe on the vvay in an vncomelie maner Rule of vvalking What is the rule of this comelinesse Walke vvorthie of God vvho hes called you to his Kingdome In a vvorde the rule is this glorious calling of God to be a Christian man and to be partaker of his kingdome He vvho is called to be a christian man or vvoman is also called to the Kingdome of God and Christ Brethren euerie mans life should be measured according to his calling and as his calling is so should he walke and that calling should be a measure of his life The king should vvalke in Majestie to command the people in loue and humilitie to obey the Minister in vprightnesse to teache the people in holinesse to vvalke before him a marchant a man of law each one of them is bound in their manner of liuing according to the rule of their calling So they that haue their calling to be christians should haue their walking according to their calling Is thy calling to be a christian Liue not as a Pagane then but as a christian Thou wilt say thou art called to be a christian and then thou wilt be in the meane tyme a murtherer an harlote a thiefe Is that thy walking in thy calling No this christian calling is to a Kingdome and glorie There are none who are called to be a christian but they are called to a glorie and Kingdome they are traÌ„slated from the power of darknesse to the societie of Christ Therefore seeing their calling is to a kingdome they should walke like Kings sonnes we are all made by our calling the sonnes and daughters of God adopted in Christ and heires of that glorie that God dwels in Then walke worthie of God and glorie As our kingdome is aboue flee and mount aboue this earth in some measure so far as the heauinesse of this corruption will fuffer lift vp thy selfe sinne holds thee down cast off sin and preasse vpward that life that is in God must be gotten aboue in Christ otherwise if our harts be not lifted vp to that kingdome glorie if our conuersation in some measure be not answerable to our calling we are vnworthie of that calling and we haue neuer bene effectuallie called thou was called by the eare onelie thou heard the Gospell thy heart neuer receyued the Gospell nor saw this Kingdome and glorie that thou was called to These wicked lyues of men showes vs that they were neuer effectuallie called So as thou wouldst be a citizen of that heauenlie kingdome and partaker of that glorious calling liue an holie lyfe that after this lyfe thou mayest be a king raigne with God for euer in Heauen To this God the Father Son and the holie Ghost be all praise for euer AMEN THE SEVENTH LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 13. 14. 13 For this cause also thanke vve God vvithout ceasing that vvheÌ„ ye receyued of vs the vvord of the preaching of God ye receyued it not as the vvord of men but as it is in deede the vvord of God vvhich also vvorketh you that beleeue 14 For brethren ye are become follovvers of the Churches of God vvhich in Iudea are in Christ Iesus because ye haue also suffered the same thinges of your countrymen euen as they haue of the Ievves THE Apostle ye remember brethren in the beginning of the second chapter he digresses and he falles out in a discourse concerning himselfe his entering among them what it was his sinceritie and vprightnesse in his whole dealing This he does in the second chapter vnto the 13. verse In which verse he returnes to his principall purpose that he had rejoysing together with them for the graces of God bestowed on them through his ministrie This rejoysing as he shew you in the beginning it stands in a thanks-geuing to God who is the geuer of all grace for without him no matter of rejoysing all matter of rejoysing is in him who is the geuer of all grace and mercie to vs. The occasion of his returning to the principall purpose is this In the verse immediatlie going before he hes spoken of his evvne carefulnesse in teaching them all manner of waye 〈…〉 and teaching them that they walk worthie of God that had called them to his kingdome and glorie Nowe in this xiij verse he thankes God for that meeting againe he found in them He teached he instructed exhorted â—nd comforted the effect They beleeued they 〈…〉 they heard and receiued the thing he spoke they embraced it not as the vvord of man but as the vvorde of God as it vvas in very deede It was not ineffectuall in them but as they embraced it so it vvrought in so manie as beleeued it was powerfull and made in them a wonderfull alteration and 〈◊〉 the operation thereof it shewe the selfe to be the word of God The meaning of the text is plaine And
againe to let them se the certainty of it The lord conâ—tant in denounâ—â—ng executing of his iudgements Brethren this hes a deeper ground This constancie in denâ—oncing and threatning judgement that ye finde in those who speakes in the name of the Lord they will denounce once twyse and thryse that same judgement tels you the Lord will be auenged on vngodlinesse The ground is in God himselfe The Lord is constant in his vengence on impenitent sinners he alters not howbeit he delay the vengence vnto his appointed tyme yet the vengence standes fast he is not like man Man is changeable he will brag the night and say I will be auenged to morrow all is away Man is vaine and inconstant the Lord is an vnchangeable God he will perseuere with an vnchangeable mynde to vengence Of this it commes that those whom he sendes to denounce vengence in his name will preache vengence to them this day vengence the next day and ay will tell you the Lord will be once auenged on you The Lord will auenge thy harlotrie thy deceit thy oppression and ay constantly cry on to let you see the judgements bides on the impenitent sinner he will not change his sentence for all the vvorld If God vvere changing ye vvho speakes in his name would change and he wold not haue warrand in his conscience to speake constantlie but God being constant and vnchangeable in his purpose of necessitie the preacher must be constant And it hes not beene seene of before but the constancie in denouncing vengence by the seruants of God against impenitent people hes euer been justified with a sensible judgement the vengence they threatned constantly it lighted Now brethren we neede not to goe far off for ensamples This constancie in threatning hes beene oft vsed in Edinburgh This hes beene oft tolde you if this be not amended the famine the Pestilence shall ouertake this Cittie Now judge ye this day if the effect justifies not our saying It is follie to men to thinke that one word of threatning of judgement spoken by the true seruants of God will fall to the ground no it cannot be The Lord may well delay long men and wemen may well sleepe long but when the artickle of tyme commes which the Lord hes appointed for judgement then followes the heauy judgement And therefore we shold judge holilie of the truth that hes been spoken by the mouth of his seruants and glorifie God al maner of wayes count God to be true and let all men be lyers In the next verse we haue the thirde argument to moue them to holinesse The argument is taken from their calling For God hes not called vs to vncleannesse but to holinesse This calling is our christian calling whereby we are translated out of the kingdom of darknesse to the kingdom of Iesus Christ we are called out of Hel to Heauen from darknesse to light we are called to a kingdom and glorie prepared for vs. Now he reasons from this their calling Our christian calling shold moue vs to holines This calling is not to vncleannesse to be an harlot to be a deceiuer of thy brother to be an oppressor but thou art called to be an holy and a clean person thou was called out of the pollution of the world and translated to cleannesse therefore thy calling is holie Of all the callings in this earth the fairest calling is the calling of one to holinesse The calling to an earthly kingdome is not so faire as the calling of a man to holinesse This Christian holinesse it permittes no soâ—t of vncleannesse in this world no not so much as a foull thought but it craues of him who is called to this Christian vocation all kinde of cleannesse in the world Learne euer to distinguish betweene thy own person and this faire calling of Christianitie If thou be vncleane and filthie it commes not of this Christian calling but of thy own person And therefore let no man when he sees a man or woman that keepes that name and enjoyes that calling to be called a Christian the fairest name that euer man gotte to become an harlote an oppressour a deceyuer a murtherer lay not the fault on the holie calling but on the foull person that is vnvvorthie of the calling for he is but a vyle creature that is so called That Christian calling permittes not such vyle sinnes it is the vyle person that committes this sinne This hes beene an oulde custome When men sees these men vvho professes Christianitie fall in sinne the mouthes of the woâ—ld are openned to blaspheme that vocation of Christianitie and to say Take vp your Christian and holie man now there is your puritie that ye doe now professe and so the blame is euer more laid on the calling and not on the person The Prophete sayes Through you my name is reproached among the Gentiles Esay chap 25. verse 5. Take head to this When thou vvho art called committes anie sinne wicked men vvill lay the faulte on the calling and not on the person And therefore be carefull to keepe holie thy person that thy person be not a slander to thy holie calling I tell thee harlotrie is a great sinne indeede that offendes God but the exponing of this Christian calling to be euill spoken of is a greater sinne to thee nor harlotrie murther or anie other sinne that can be commited and at that day it shall be sorer punished nor any sinne There cannot be a greater sinne nor to giue wicked men occasion to speake euill of that holy calling And trow ye not that this sinne is the speciall cause of this judgement this day It is not somuch thy murther thy harlotrie thy oppression c. as the slandering of thy holy vocation and calling And therfore hes Scotland most justlie procured the just judgment of God Another thing I see heere I perceiue this Christian calling should be the rule and square whereby our actiones should be rewled So that in no calling vnder the Sunne we should do any thing that is vnsetting or vnseemlie to this Christian calling but all our actiones should bee ruled conforme to it A Christian King is bounde to rule all his actiones by the rule of this Christian calling a Christian subject should follow the rule of this christian calling Play the marchant but as a Christian man play the part of a man of law but in the meane time forget not thou art a Christian man c. Let al thy actions in thy own craft be squared by this rule of thy Christian vocation There is a great aduantage when any man in any vocation behaues himselfe as a Christian man the labour is pleasant in the sight of God and it is blessed If a Christian man seeke the glorie of God in his calling then he shall be blessed in his actiones but when in doing any thing the Christian calling is forgot and the Lord Iesus is not before the eye
concerning those vvho are at sleepe That is I vvoulde not haue you ignorant of their estate vvhat is their estate while they lye in graue vvhat their estate shall be thereafter Of these and such things I vvould not haue you ignorant Now the lesson is easie There are none of vs but in some measure vve shoulde knowe what is the estate of them who are dead vvhat is their estate in the graue vvhat shall be their estate after the graue It appertaines to euerie Christian to know the estate of the dead in some measure as well as it pertaines to them to know the estate of the liuing not passing the reuelation that the Lord hes made therin Dreame not anie estate to the dead knovve no more of it nor it pleases God to reueale nor desire to know no more The Papistes passes in curiositie and can not be satisfied with the Lords reuelation but let vs be content with the reuelation of the Lord vntill that great reuelation come Alwaies it pertaines to vs in some measure to knovve the estate of the departed IgnoraÌ„ce brings sorrovv and knovvledg ioy Ignorance brings a great deale of sorrow vvith it The effects of ignorance in things vve should know are displeasure and sorrow Knowledge of the things vve should know and especially of the estate of those departed this life brings joy consolation Ignorance made Iacob excessiuelie to mourne for his sonne Ioseph without anie cause thinking he was dead when he was aliue Being fred from his ignorance and knowing the estate of his son and that he was aliue he found joy and consolation So light and knowledge brings joy The blinde opinion of this dreame of Purgatorie that the Papists hes inuented hes brought exceeding great displeasure to many To thinke that the soule lovvsed from the bodie should be tormented in Purgatorie ere it enter in glorie But men being fred from this ignorance and knowing assuredly that the soule immediatlie after it seueres from the bodie passes to eternall joy men and vvemen knovving this in the pointe of death no question they are exceeding glad Then brethren to speake it againe Ignorance brings great displeasure knowledge bringes joy when vve knowe the estate of thinges as they are indeed then there is joy Therefore the Apostle sayes That ye 〈◊〉 not as others vvho hes no hope That is as the Gentiles An ignorant and hopelesse bodie who hes no hope of the resurrection who knowes nothing of the resurrection and therefore hopes not for it his mourning and sorrowe will be excessiue This is the meaning of the Apostle Ignorance bringes 〈◊〉 in death it makes a man hopelesse not to hope for a lyfe after this lyfe nor for a resurrection to lyfe and being 〈◊〉 what joy can he haue a bodie dying without hope no 〈◊〉 if thou bee not in hope when thou art dying all the world shall not make thee to rejoyce By the contrair ye heare by the Apostle knowledge bringes hope for hope is the effect of knowledge and hope bringes joy and comfort in the houre of death None euer yet died in the hope of that glorious resurrection but in the houre of death they rejoyced with joy vnspeakable The joy that hope bringes being grounded on knowledge is wonderfull It will not be conteined in the heart but the mouth will open and glory in the joy it apprehendes throgh the hope of the resurrection in Iesus Christ The Apostle Rom. chap. 5. verse 2. saies We rejoyce vnder the hope of the glory of God I meane not brethren that that knowledge that workes hope and that hope that workes joy will take away from a man altogether all displeasure all heauinesse all mourning in the departure of our friendes and them we loue well No it will nor nor should not doe that There is no grace of God in Iesus that puts out any naturall affection none will take away either naturall joy or displeasure no faith and hope will not doe it but it makes that naturall affection sanctified and puts it in order Our dolour which by nature is immoderate it moderates hope will bring with it a measure knoweledge will bring with it a measure and faith which is the fountaine of all graces will bring with it a measure In a word Faith hope and knowledge will temper and mingle the affection of displeasure which is bitter with the affection of joy and make a sweete temperature in that bodie so that the bodie that hes knowledge and hope when it is mourning fastest it will haue greatest joy Beware of your mourning and looke that it be neuer altogether without some joy Sobst thou sighst thou vnspeakablie Looke that thy â—ighs be mingled with joy vnspeakable Will ye haue my counsell Let neuer joy be the alone but let euer joy be tempered with sorrow Haue not srrow the alone but let it 〈◊〉 be mingled with some joy So long as thou liuest thou art naturallie inclined to sinne and sinne procures sorrow And therfore so long as sinne dwelles in thy bodie let euer thy joy be tempered with sorow but let neuer thy sorow for sinne be it alone but tempered with some joy in the mercie of God This shoulde be the estate of a christian in laughing forget not sin but sorow for it be not vvanton vnder the burden of sin Againe in mourning let joy be for the mercie of Christ to vs. The Apostle sayes 1. Thess 5. 16. Reioice euer yea euen when thou art mourning for there is matter of eternall joy offered in Christ and therfore rejoice vvith a sanctified and with an holie joye This is the first lesson Then brethren I gather on the vvords of the Apostle As the Gentiles vvho haue no hope of resurrection where there is no hope there is no comfort vvhere a mans hope is bounded within the compasse of this life and reaches not out beyond the same there is no comfort make him king of all the worlde if his hope be onelie on the kingdomes of this earth if he hope not for that heauenlie kingdome Want of hope doth bring dispaire in death to be an inheritour there he hes no joye nor comfort I meane that solide joye and comfort vvhich the world neuer ministers to men Al the kingdoms in the earth will neuer minister to thee solide joy comfort consolation Novv brethren this is the estate of the Gentiles Paul Ephes 2. 12. speaking of their estate sayes they liued in the world without God aliants from the Common-well of Israell from the Church of God strangers from the couenants of promise without hope without God in the world and so hopelesse coÌ„fortlesse I can not say that euer any Gentile that liued as a Gentile what euer was their ranke on the earth that euer they had any comfort all these Monarches that liued without grace in the world I can not say that in the midst of their triumph greatest glory they had any comfort much lesse
part of the text The Apostle Paul not onely in this place joines these three together but also in the 4. chap. to the Philipp ye shall finde the same three precepts joined together howbeit not in this order he beginnes there Patience ioye and praier ioined together at joy and he sayes reioice in the Lord alvvaies againe I say reioice then he commes to patience in suffering wrong let your patient minde let your moderation be knovvne 〈◊〉 all men for the Lord is at hand And last he commes to prayer and saies be not carefull for any thing but in all things let your requests be shovvne to God in prayer and thankes-giuing Then he commes to peace of conscience again and the peace of God vvhich passes all vnderstanding shall preserue your harts c. These three are joined together The precept of patience joy and prayer because these three graces of God patience joy and prayer are vnseparable euerie one of them joined vnseparably with another tak one away thou shalt not get the other tak praier away thou shalt not haue joy take joy away thou shalt not get patience in suffering So these three are so vnseparably lined together that if they be not altogether in the hart of a man none of them can be in the hart and if one be in the hart all shall be in it Howbeit patience be set down first here yet it is not the first grace praier is first joy next and then patience for praier first bringes joy then this heauenlie joy being broght forth and entertainde by praier it bringes patience in suffering troubles Now brethren what shal we mak of this ere we come to the words Only this the graces of God which are parts of our new-birth called Regeneration are so inseparably locked together that they cannot be seuered and therefore he that would haue any one of them let him seeke them al he that would haue patience let him seeke joy and he that would haue joy let him seeke praier let him seeke them altogether either seeke them all and get them all in some measure or it shall passe thy power to keepe any one of them either keepe all or want all this is their nature ye saw neuer a chaine so linked together as these graces of regeneration are linked It may be that a man haue the outward showe of a grace but indeed it shall passe his power to haue a true grace except he haue the whole graces of this new-birth in some measure Many will seeme to suffer wrong and yet they will not haue the joy of the holy Spirit but they that wants the joy of the Spirit albeit they seeme to suffer many wrongs yet they are but hypocrites Therefore seeke one seeke all want one want all either haue all or want all But to come to the text and speake of this joy Reioice sayes the Apostle euermore True rejoicing or joy is that joy that entertaines patience in suffering Goe to experience and try it There is none of vs that hes tasted of this heauenlie joy but we will finde by experience it raise vp the hart of man and woman aboue all these thinges earthlie in some measure It raises vp the hart to an higher kingdome nor all the kingdomes in this earth this heauenly joy raises vs vp to the kingdome of God This kingdome of God saies the Apostle Rom. chap 14. vers 17. Is peace and ioy in the holie Ghost So that they who hes this joy are in another kingdome as far aboue these earthly kingdomes as the heauen is aboue the earth and by this joy they are lifted vp to heauen and being vp there they look downe to all these things on the earth the troubles afflictions and persecutions as thogh they were nothing and thinkes them nothing joy being in the hart it swallowes vp the heauiest displeasure that can be looke this by experience A little measure of it in the hart will swalow vp sadnesse suffering of wrongs and injuries in this world This world is but a world of suffering In the 5. chapter of the Acts verse 41. ye see the Disciples of Christ after his ascension are drawen in before the Councell there they are scourged manassed and threatned that they should not speake in the name of Christ But what doe they when they are dimitted They go away with joy is there matter of joy heere they are beatten scourged and boasted yet they goe away with joy reioicing that they vvere counted vvorthiâ— to suffer for Christs sake Brethren if joy had not swallowed vp sadnesse the Apostles had not rejoyced Reade the Psalmes of Dauid He beginnes with such a sadnesse in many of them all that he would appeare to be in Hell and ere the Psalme be ended ye will see that he burstes out with exceeding great thankfulnes This meanes that there was a joy and an exceeding great heauines in the hart and there was a battell betwixt them and in the end joy got the victorie and swallowed vp sadnesse But now what is this joy that he meanes of when he saies Reioyce euermoâ— It is no other thing but that which he calles in the fourth chapter to the Philippians Description of â—oy The peace of God that passes all vnderstanding standing about the hart as a guard And to speake the trueth of this it is the end and crowne of all the graces of God in Iesus Christ it is that end whereto all the graces of God tends and when they come there they go no further Wherfore came Christ in the world but that we should haue peace and joy in conscience Wherefore died he that we should haue joy Wherefore rose he that we should haue joy in his resurrection Wherfore are we all called to be Christians that we shold rejoice Wherefore are our sins remitted onely to rejoyce This is the end of all joy What is Heauen but joy What is life euerlasting but joy vnspeakable What is glorie but joy Paul joynes these two together joy and the crowne of glorie 1. Thess chap. 2. vers 19. Therefore in one word what is true happines nothing but joy joy in God throgh Iesus Christ What is any thing vnder Heauen without joy in the hart If a man haue all the world and all the honour and riches of the world except he haue joy in them what auaill they So joy is the blessednesse of men and women And therefore when the Apostle bids vs rejoice euermore what craues he but that we should prease euer forward to our blessednes and Heauen begin thy blessednes here or thou shalt neuer get blessednes hereafter Life euerlasting begins here in a measure of joy that is not persite and ends in the next life in glory which shall be perfited Yet brethren the nature of joy would be better seene and knowen that men be not deceiued with it The joy that is craued of what kinde is it There are sundrie kindes of joy Is it a
faile thee or else thou shalt faile them if thou were a King thou must faile in thy kingdome thou must leaue 〈◊〉 either shall the worldly things be taine from thee or thou from them What Monarch euer yet since the beginning of the world for al their dominions if they had not God and Christ had euer a sparke of joy at the houre of his death A dram weight of this joy is worth all the kingdomes of this earth and if thou hast gotten a little peece of this joy thinke it better nor thou wert made Monarch of all the world No question the least peece of Christes graces and of this regeneration is worth all the Kingdomes of this world Euen so these earthlie thinges cannot bee the matter of this joye Thou shalt neuer get the joy of the holy Spirite if thou seeke it in the world Then wherein standes this joy Paul 4. chap. to the Philippians verse 4. sayes Reioyce in the Lord. He sayes not rejoyce in the world or kingdomes of the world but he sayes rejoyce in the Lord and in all those graces he hes broght with him in remission of sins in life euerlasting c. Take heed compare this joy with the matter thereof This joy is spiritual Iesus is a Spirit all his graces are spirituall Then these two agrees very well a spirituall matter a spirituall joy Then againe this joy is continuall Christ is for euer Heb. 13. 8. His graces standes for euer Al the mercies of God in Christ are eternall and vnchangeable How well then standes these two a joy continuall a matter continuall a joy that is eternall a matter that is eternall But thou wilt say 〈…〉 albeit that matter of my joy Christ Iesus neuer perishes yet we must perish and albeit he stand yet we must fall No no. Paul to the Rom. chap. 8. vers 35. saies What shall separate vs from the loue of God in Christ No if thou be once well imped in him by his Spirite and a lyuely faith all the world shall neuer bring thee back againe thou shalt neuer be separate heauen and earth shall first perishe ere they who are imped in Christ be separate from him death shall not separate them Paul sayes Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage Philipp chap. 1. vers 21. These earthly thinges may vantage thee in this naturall and transitory lyfe 〈…〉 riches may vauntage thee in this lyfe honour may be pleasant to thee here but when death commes then may thou justly say I will get no more vantage of my riches I will shake all off me and go naked to the graue but Christ will go to the graue with me yea euen to the resurrection he shall accompany thee and then soule and body shall be joined together and thou shalt be with him for euer In one word the matter of this joy are not earthly things but spirituall It is Christ and his graces that is the ground of all this joy vntill thou come to that lyfe euerlasting And this for the opening vp of the words Learne Vseâ— then There are none of vs that walkes in the light of the Gospell of Christ and hes taine the name of Christians vpon vs but we are bound and oblist to rejoyce and be glade and that not for one tyme onely one day or one night or one yeere or one season but euermore and at euery occasion in prosperitie in aduersitie in life and death euer rejoyce and weulde ye know the paine all obligations are vnder some paine the paine of it is vnder the paine of banishing vs out of Gods Kingdome out of heauenly Ierusalem He that would not rejoyce vnder the hope of heauenly Ierusalem must be banished out thereof Rom. 14. verse 17. Gods Kingdome in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost if thou prease not to rejoyce in Christ and his Kingdome in life and death prosperity and aduersitie thou shalt be shut out of it I say they who neuer felt of this heauenly joy and neuer rejoyced in Christ in his Redemption of vs from sin in that life purchast to vs by his bloud who neuer rejoyces in these but ay is glad when he is exercised about these earthly things that man neuer yet saw Christs Kingdome And albeit he be outwardly in the Church the Church is called the Kingdome of God in the Gospell yet indeede he is not one of the Kingdome he is going vp and downe in company with them of the Church but he was neuer in the Church for thou must be spiritually in it and not bodily And if there be a great sin in the world this is one not to rejoyce in such a matter of joy God offers thee saluation in Christ if thou rejoyce not therein thou cannot doe a greater contempt to the light of the Gospell wherein life and saluation is offered noâ— a greater injury to God thou bereaues God of his glory for what shall be the chiefe glorifying of God but a rejoycing in his mercies through Iesus Christ Alas what great blessednesse we defraâ—d our selfes of when we rejoyce not in the worke of our Redemption It is wonder what joy the Angels haue in looking in to this worke of the Redemption of man Peter in his 1. Epistle chap. 1. vers 12. sayes The Angels desires to looke in to this misterie Were not the Angels preachers to the shiephirds of that joy and blessing that came to the world Luke chap. 2. verse 13. 14. Fy on thee Christ is come to redeeme thee and not the Angels and yet they rejoyce and wilt not thou rejoyce The earth and heauen leapes and rejoyces for the hearing of their deliuerance by Christes comming againe and thou cannot rejoyce fy on thee When all the dumme creatures aboue vnder and about thee rejoyces and thou cannot rejoyce Waken vp that dead hart of thine and rejoyce in God or else the spirit of sorrow and sadnesse shall waken thee that thou shalt weepe for euer The tyme of joy is pretious if thou rejoyce not heere thou shalt neuer get that joy in Heauen hereafter Now ye will say should we rejoyce ay The wise man sayes Ecclest chap. 3. vers 4. 〈…〉 All thinges hes the tyme there is a tyme of vveeping a tyme of laughing How should we ay be glad I aunswere it is true there is a tyme of mourning and a tyme of sadnesse and I trow this same verie tyme is the tyme of sadnesse But I tell thee againe for all this sadnesse rejoyce must thou and when thou art commanded to be sad for sin thou art commanded to rejoyce in Christ for remission thereof where nothing is in the hart but sadnesse it will bring a man to dispare Sadnesse would euer be mingled with joy sadnesse for miserie would be mingled with joy for hope of reliefe or else the end shal be dispare And it is wonderfull to see the Spirit of Iesus at â— tyme to
shall giue heed to spirits of error and doctrine of deuils forbidding to marie and commanding to absteine from meats vvhich the Lord his ordained to be receiued vvith thankes-giuing of them vvhich beleeue There the summe of this defection whereof he speakes in this place Looke also the 2 Tim. chap. 3. vers 1. 2. 3. In the latter dayes there shall be troublesome tymes men shall be louers of themselues louers of pleasures and not of God corrupt in mynde reprobates concerning the faith There the Apostasie from the faith In that same Epistle chap. 4. verse 3. The tyme shall come vvhen men shall not suffer to heare the sound doctrine but according to their ovvne lustes shall gather together heapes of teachers to wit orders of Monkes Friers and heaps of Iesuites and the rest of that prophaine and deuilish rable that the deuill by his spirit hes thrust in on the people of God and they shall auert their eyes from the trueth and turne them to lies Peter in his 2. Epistle chap. 2 verse 1. sayes There shall be among you false teachers vvho shall bring in damnable heresies and many shall follovv them to their perdition They shall goe to destruction with their Heresies and many shall goe after them And before them Christ himselfe foretolde of this defection 18. chap. of Like verse 8 When sayes he the Son of man shall come thinke ye he shall finde faith on the earth No there be an vniuersall defection Then this vniuersall defection is nothing else but this Apostasie and defection from the faith of Christ that shall be before Christs comming in the world Now ye see then this is a prophecy of the thing to come Is this Prophecy fulfilled yet or not Is it come to passe Is that vniuersall defection of the world from the church from the faith of Christ come or shall we looke for it There is the question I tell you it is come I cry it out it is come and come long since and verie long since It holdes on and shall hold on Mahomet beganne it when he drew away not only the people from the faith of Iesus but also drew away the verie name of Christianity so as there durst not one avowe himselfe to be a Christian The Orientall Churches so well planted by the Apostles of Christ whereof this Church of Thessalonica was one may beare witnes hereof Who followed on Mahomet ended it not then The Popes that beast of Rome followed on As Mahomet played with the Orientall Churches So the Papists played with the Wester and Occidentall Churches The Pope hes drawen away this occidental Church of Christ in Europe not indeede from the name and outward profession of Christ for all are called Christians but he hes drawen them from the faith of Christ without the which there can be no saluation So this Apostasie prophecyed so long before is come now to passe Church militant subiect to errors But ere I goe forward mark here The estate of the Church of Christ militant on the earth she is subject to errors and Heresies to be caryed away vvith false doctrine subject to defection yea to an vniuersall defection of the whole visible Church on the face of the earth And brethren euen godly men seeing this thing they haue bene compelled at tymes to doubt they were so offended whether if this Church was Gods Church or not whether if this building was builded by God or not which they saw so beatten downe and lying so long dead It is a lamentable thing to see the Church of Christ so long vnder the dominion of the Antichrist And therefore the Lord by his Apostle and others hes foretold of this vniuersall defection that the godly may be comforted and stand seeing nothing commes to passe but by his prouidence and foresight Then again ye know the Papists proposition the church cannot ere Now consider this place and ye shall see it cannot stand with that opinion I aske how can that opinion stand with this Prophecie of Paul who telles not of a light error but of an vniuersall defection from Christ Either this must be false which the Apostle saies and which Christ spok before him which wer blasphemie to affirme or that which they say that the Church cannot erre must be a lye and it is so And all the Papists are blasphemous lyars beleue them as ye will No the godly are not ignorant of their purpose in this their assertion They hold that doctrine to be a pretence to keepe the Antichristian Church in her error and Apostasie for she is altogether out of the way and if she could thinke she could be subject to error she were curable but because she lyes in her stinking Heresie and Apostasie and will not acknowledge it therefore in the just judgement of God she shall perishe perdition shall be her end if the Lord waken her not in tyme. Now to the wordes The wordes are That the day of the Lord shall not be vntill the tyme that that man of sin be reueiled That man of sin must be reueiled ere the Lord come in the world againe This is one thing with that which went before of an vniuersall Apostasie the comming of an vniuersall Apostasie and the reuelation of that man of sin the Antichrist is one thing in sundry wordes For what is the Antichrist but the head of this Apostasie and vniuersall defection and of all Apostats vnder the Heauens he is the cheefe Apostate Now he is called heere a man the Antichrist as though there were but one person Marke it for this place is mistaken When ye heare of this name of the Antichrist who is here called the man of sinne be not deceiued The Antichrist woulde perswade you that this name of Antichrist signifies but one man some one person who shal be in the vvorld at such a tyme. No the name of Antichrist imports not one man onely but a succession of persons one after another in one kingdome or tyrannie ouer the Church of Christ in the vvorld All this succession of persones is expressed by the name of one man or one person because they ranne on all one course and euery one of them hes but one purpose to exercise their tyme in oppression of the Church of God Therefore the vvhole succession is called but on man But when shall this reueiling of him be He is said to be reueiled vvhen his kingdome and tyrannie commes to the height and full perfection in the sight of the vvorld He beganne long before he vvas reueiled and he vvas in the dayes of the Apostles When Paul and Peter vvas in the vvorld he vvas And beginning in their dayes he grovves on peece and peece in greatnesse from a small beginning vntill hee came to such a vvonderful and great height that he makes the vvhole vvorld vvonder at him and this fell out in Anno 666. Reuel chap. 13. verse 18. He came to his height vnder the Emperour of
Priests take both is it not the Pope Christ permittes the vse of mariage to all persones without difference Who commes in with that doctrine of deuils forbidding mariage and meates which the Lord hes commanded Wherefore should I be long Who is he that oppones himselfe to euerie article of our faith beginne at the one end and leaue at the other he oppones to them all Is it not the beast of Rome Knowe ye not this to be true His life ye shall see it in that great day Then come to his lyfe and behauior wherein he denyes Christ Christ when he was in the world was holy yea holinesse it selfe But what command is there either in the first or second Table which he transgresses not most euidentlie Who is the head and cheefe Apostate from Iesus Christ the head of the Church Who is the cheefe Heretike vnder the Sunne The cheefe Idolater the cheefe Magitian and sorcerer vnder the Sunne Who is the cheefe blasphemer vnder the Sunne Goe to the second Table Who is the dishonourer of all powers and Empyres vpon the face of the earth Who of all murtherers is the greatest murtherer and can not be satâ—ate with the bloude of all the Saintes Who is most adulterous and filthie Who is the greatest theefe and oppressor reauing kingdomes Who is the most perjurde person And come to the last Who is most full of all concupiscence in this worlde Who is he that settes himselfe aboue all men in this earth and with an vplifted hand oppones himselfe to God in all thinges Read the Popes hues written all by their own men So I gather in one word This Antichrist that maks opposition to the great God of Heauen to all power and majestie on the earth he was neuer he is not now nor neuer shall be if he be noâ— that man of Rome who sittes not in Peters chaire but in the chaire of scorners in the seate of pestilence He is the very Antichrist and thou hast no eyes to see if thou seest not this Now come to the next action His secoÌ„d action He prophecyes of another action that shall be when he shall come He shall not onely in malice oppone himselfe to euery thing that is called God but in the pryde of his hart shall exalt himselfe aboue euery thing that is called God and is worshipped on the earth against all power both heauenly and earthly Now who is this that exaltes himself this way Spy this man who hes this action in his hand and without doubt this man is the Antichrist Now I will aske some few thinges that we may finde him out the more easilie Who is he that exalts himselfe aboue the Emperour Who vnder God is the head-man of the world Who is he that wil cause the Emperour stand and hold his stirrop and will cause the Emperour holde to his shoulder that he may leane on it and cause him hold water to his hands and goe before with his first mease to his dinner Who will say he hes an absolute power to make and abrogate lawes at his pleasure He will make account to no man He hes an absolute power to close the Heauen and open it at his pleasure To cary with him cartfulles of soules of men to Hell if it please him Who is able to comprehend this matter Is there any here that hes bene in Rome and seene the Pope in the solemne tyme of his jubile and who hes heard or reade of it How he commes out of his Palace with such a rich and glorious arrayment that he makes the world to wonder with his threfold crowne of gold and pretious stones on his head mounted vp on mens shoulders in a golden chaire with his relicts and his breadie-god borne before him Then he will go to his paradice the people on euery side crying for remission of sinnes Then when he commes to Paradice with an hammer of gold he will knock and bid the gate open and he enters in and there he giues indulgences some giues this homage and some that yea such as is competent to God onely Fy on him such is his pryde that he will scarcely affoord to put out his feete to kings to kisse them â—s not this an horrible abhomination and monstrous villainie I will not insist His third action There followes two particular actions which rises on his pryde The first is He shall be so proud that he shall sit in the Temple of God as God that is in his Antichristian kingdome which yet keeps the name of Christ because it keeps a kinde of profession of the word of God and in some respect hes the ensenzies of the Church But how shall he sit Not like another man but as God he puts God out of his chare and sittes down in Gods chare What is the seat of God Gods chare is the consciences of men and wemen which all the Angels dare not prease to Yet he will sit downe there and giue out Lawes bind the consciences Now will ye spy this man out Is this the Mahomet Papist I aske at thee sittes the Mahomet in the Temple of God sittes he in the Church that hes the name of the Church of God O sayes the Papist this that shall be the Antichrist iâ— not yet come This that shall be the Antichrist shall be a wicked man that shall be borne at Babylone of an Hoore in whom the deuill shall dwell bodily a Iew by nation of the Trybe of Dan who should be circumcised and broght vp in the citties of Chorasin and Bethsaida who shall be detestable for his forceries and witchcraftes who shall come to Ierusalem and there reedifie the Temple of Salomon and take vpon him the name of Christ and shall reigne by the space of three yeeres and an halfe with great tyranny and cruelty against the Christians and shall slay Enoch and Elias the forerunners of Christ and then shall come the latter day when in the Mount of Olyues Christ shall destroy him and condemne him to Hell A faire fable It is thou ô man of sin thou beast of Rome that sittes in the consciences of men it is thou that shalt be beatten out of the chare to the Hels It is thou ô beast of Rome that sits in the Temple of Christ Another effect of his pryde He shall showe himselfe to be a God sitting in the chare of God 〈◊〉 fourth action in the Church of God He shall giue himselfe forth as God as prease to counterfoote God in his name style dignitie and all other circumstances and bereaue God of that which is proper to him Well spy this man Who is he that taks the name of God on him in the earth He is not God onely not man onely but he is a midde thing betweene a God and a man Who takes to him the style of a king and power aboue all the kings of the earth Who sayes he hes the right to beare both the
swordes Heard you euer of a Pope Benifacius the â—ightâ— of whom it is said He entered in lyke a Tod raigne like a Lyon and died like a dog In the tyme of his jubile in the first day thereof he commes out in the Popes weed and as he goes he blesses the people In the next day he commes out in Cesars warlike clock and a naked sword horne before him and sitting downe he cryes out Behold two swordes heere I am the head of the Church I am the Pope and Cesar I haue the Empyre in Heauen and earth Who calles himselfe the head of the Church A style onely proper to Christ Who calles himselfe the Vicar of Christ The brydgrome of the bryde the Church Who calles himselfe the high Priest Styles onely proper to Christ Is it not this beast of Rome Whereto should I insist It is wonder that the earth can beare such a proud filthie villaine It is a wonder that the Heauen can couer him but we must reuerence the long suffering patience of the Lord. And seeing the Scripture hes pointed him out so euidently it is a wonder that men should be so blinde that they should so reuerence him when he rages this waye in sinne and that they will call him the successour of Peter and the head of the Church What shall I say all reading and hearing will not inlighten the mynde and perswade men except the Spirit of God be present to open the hart Therefore leauing this beast I pray God to send his Spirit to let men see that they may abhorre such an enemy to God and Christ and that they may imbrace the light of Iesus and that he would keepe vs that we be not deceyued by these vanities To this God euen the Father Sonne and holie Spirit be all praise for euer AMEN THE SIXT LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 5. 6. 7. 8. 5 Remember ye not that vvhen I vvas as yet vvith you I told you these things 6 And novv ye knovv vvhat vvithholdeth that he might be reueiled in his tyme. 7 For the mysterie of iniquitie doth already vvorke onely he vvhich novv vvithholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the vvay 8 And then shall the vvicked man be reueiled vvhom the Lord shall consume vvith the spirit of his mouth and shall abolish vvith the brightnesse of his comming THE Apostle Brethren ye heard proues against the false teachers that the comming of the Lord was not so neere hand as they thought and as they teached He takes his argument from one thing that was to fal out in the world before Christs latter comming Ere euer become sayes the Apostle there shall be an vniuersall defection from that faith of Iesus Christ This matter will conteine a long processe of tyme and therefore would the Apostle conclude Christs comming is not so neere hand as they make the people beleeue He expresses not the name of the Antichrist but for the name he hes a long description and painting out of him This description we entered in the last day and he lets them see when he shall be when he shall come He pointes him out in his nature First in his very essence he shall be a man of nature lyke other men Then he commes to his properties What shall they be First a man of sinne a wicked man as euer was or shall be in the world The next propertie He shall be the son of perdition a man long agoe ordeined to destruction Then he commes to his actions when he shall come and reueile him in the world he shall oppone himselfe against euery thing that shall be called God or shall be worshipped That is against euery superiour power and Majestie whether earthly or Heauenly against God himselfe and his Sonne Iesus Christ Another action He shall not be content onely to oppone himselfe in malice but in pryde he shall exalt himselfe aboue all thinges that shall be called God and worshipped either in earth or in Heauen Then he commes to two speciall actions of his pryde first exalting himselfe aboue God he shall sit in the Temple of God in the Church of God For so the Antichristian Church is termed because shee keepes some ensenzies of the Church of God the Word and Sacraments He shall sit there as God on the consciences of men and wemen to thrall and controle them at his pleasure The other particulare action of his pryde he shall showe himselfe as God in the properties perteining to God he shall take them all on him This far we proceeded the last day in the description of the Antichrist whom the Apostle prophecyes will come in the world ere Christ come againe onely this I aduertise you as I did before Take not this man whom ye call the Antichrist to be a single man one person take him to be a succession of men euery one following another in one kingdome and tyranny The kingdome of Antichrist all is termed vnder the name of a man They are but one kingdome of all one purpose of all to exercise tyrannie on the Church of God heere on this earth Now brethren to the text He leaues off this description for a tyme vntill he come to the ninth verse following and there he returnes againe Now in the meane-tyme he falles out in some speaches and admonitions to them concerning the Antichrist and in the first verse we haue red he confirmes the thing he hes spoken of the Antichrist from the speaches he had with them when he abode among them in Thessalonica Concerning the Antichrist I wryte would he say no other thing to you now nor that which I told you when I was with you That which I then spoke that same thing now I wryte vnto you Then in the next verse he showes to them that the Antichrist and Antichristanisme is come and begun already in the world albeit his reueiling and his comming to his pryde is not yet yet the Antichrist is come Antichristanisme and fals religion is begun Then againe he telle what withholdes him that he is not reueiled so soone and hastily There is an impediment casten in which I told to you when I was with you He insistes on this impediment and telles when this impediment shall be tame out of the way then this wicked man of sinne shall be reueiled And last as he hes tolde of his comming out and growing to an height in his pryde so he propecyes of his decay and his destruction Now to returne to the wordes Remember ye not sayes he vvhen I vvas vvith you I told you these thinges To assure them the more of the trueth of these thinges that he wrytes to them concerning the Antichrist hee calles them to remembrance of that which he spoke to them face to face concerning this same purpose and in doing this the vtters some peece of anger Remember ye not He vses some sharpnesse in wordes because
earth that the Church of God could not stand one day except the Lord did cast in impediments in the way of the deuil and wickedmen to hold them off And so all the glorie of the standing of the Church in the earth is to be ascriued to that God that holdes off and shall hold off by his prouidence â—ill they will they the deuill wicked men from their wicked interpryses and the Lord forbid the Antichrist should preuaile for if he preuaile assure thy selfe if thou stand steedfast in the faith thy bloud shall pay for it for of all Tygers in the earth he is the most bloud-thirstie Now the wordes following telles wherefore these in pediments are casten in That he should be reveiled in his ovvne tyme As he would say his tyme is not yet come that article of tyme God hes appointed and decreed from all eternitie he should be reueiled in is not yet come Brethren this is true and al the Scripture makes it manifest The Lord from all eternitie hes appointed tymes opportunities houres moments when euerything should be done that falles out in this world euery action hes the owne moment prescriued to it be it good or bad The Lord hes written the houre of it in his booke when it should be done Now ye see by experience the deuill euer seekes to preuent the tyme yea the best of vs all when the Lord hes appointed a time to our deliuerance or to doe anything cannot byde that tyme but are euer freatting and fuming Therefore the Lord castes in stayes both to the deuill and to men on earth When they are running forwarde he will cast in a stay and thou must stand there and thou must stand vntil that same tyme and article come that he hes appointed and it shall not ly in the power of the deuill and of all the earth to preuent that tyme. Now to come to the next verse There are two things concerning the Antichrist The first his comming in the world The second his reueiling after his comming There is a difference betweene these two His comming to the height and his reuelation As concerning his comming to his height it might haue bene asked by the Thessalonians Is he come yet we vnderstand by thy speaking he is not reueiled yet but is he come yet He answeres Euen novv the misterie of iniquitie is in doing shortlie the meaning is The Antichrist the Antichristianisme false religion Heretical doctrine is come alreadie albeit it be not reueiled and come to the hight He calles Antichristanisme iniquitie for of all iniquitie false doctrine is the greatest iniquity and of all sinners on the earth a false teacher and deceiuer of the people of God is the greatest sinner Therefore he is called the man of sinne a man addicted to sinne as a slaue to his master Further he calles it the misterie of iniquitie It is called a misterie because it came not to the light at the first but lay vp hid in a misterie It was not knowne not detected in the owne cullour nor came not to an height that men might know it Then marke ye see the Antichrist and Antichristianisme that is false religion beganne verie soone Euen novv there are many Antichrists sayes Iohn 1. Epist 4. chap 3. vers It beganne in Pauls and the Apostles dayes It was conserued as it were in the mothers bellie in those dayes but it lay long and many yeeres hid vp in a misterie and it lay long time lurking in Rome and in the Church thereof and then at last broke vp there the great Antichrist It lay so hid vp not comming to the perfection to the yeere of the Lord six hundreth and three yeeres and then it was broght to a great maturitie and perfection by Phocas the Emperour and Pope Bonifacius the third It layth the mothers wombe getting forme and grouth ere it came to the reuelation so the Antichrist is an olde childe Mark it there are many misteries in the world and among all the rest there is a mistery of sin as there is a mistery of godlinesse 1. Tim. 3. chap. 16. verse so there is a mistery of vngodlinesse and sin lyes very long hid ere it break out and appeare in the owne cullor in any person Alas thy sin will ly long hid as it were clocked vnder a clock in thee ere it come to an height for sin is a deceyuing thing but at last it will bud out in spyte of thy teeth And to speake of this sinne of false doctrine in particulare It lay hid many yeeres ere men knew of it No question in the dayes of the olde fathers Chrysâ—stome Augustine and the rest of them many corruptions broke in which they saw not because they lay hid vp in a misterie so that they could not see them vntill it hes pleased the Lord now to reueile them Wonder not that the doctors reproued not this Heresie and that Heresie no sin lyes hid vp wonderfully The greatest sin will ly hid vp vnder the greatest holinesse Then in the end of the verse he returnes againe to the impediment and he speaks two thinges of it First how long it shal lust and then what shal follow from once it shal be â—aine away to wiâ— that man of sin shall be reueiled Now to the words ye layes He that vvithholds shall let till he be taken out of the vvay that is to say the Romane Emperor for he speaks of the succession of Emperours as of one man because there was one kingdome to wit the Romane Empyre as before he spoke of the Antichrist He shall withhold that head of the Romane beast from using vnto the time he be taken away Then what time shall he be taken out of the way Euen at that article the Lord hes appointed then the Lord suffred him to be taken out of the way Who took him one out of the way Mahomet with his 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 and Turks in the East wer the first subuerted the Romane Empyre and then Boniface and his successours ouerthrewit in the West Mark this When as the point of time prescriued by the Lord to things to be done commes then all impediments that hold back that thing if it were the Empyre of all the world shall be put out of the way and shall haue no standing but will vanish away By the contrare before that point of time come I shal mak one stray stay a man one word shal hold him the least thing in the world shall hinder him were he raging neuer so fast To let you see that al goes by the effectuall working and dispensation of God that workes all Iâ—standis not in this man or that man albeit he were an Emperour or Monareli but onely in God who hes appointed a tyme to euery thing that all glory may be giuen him That men say not I did this or that No it is the Lord that from time to time hes wrought it Ye will see some times a
no merite vnder the Sunne but Gods merite when God hes to doe with man As for vs there is nothing but debt no deseruing in vs all that we can doe to our God is meere debt as euer a man was addebted to another All the thanks-giuing vve can giue him is debt all vvorkes vve can worke are debt what euer he gettes of vs he merites and deserues it This is the trueth and yet the enemies of the trueth will turne this euer againe and will ascryue the merite to stinking fleshe and the debt to God The debt that appertaines to vs they ascryue to God and the merite that appeartaines to God they ascryue to vs. They sette vs aboue God for he who merites is aboue the debtor Lord what a change is this Paul to the Romans chap. 11. verse 35. sayes Who gaue him first that hes bound him to giue them againe Wilt thou be before him gaue thou him first any good if thou can doe it then thou merites if not then it is a blasphemie to thinke that thou can merite Fy on thee there is nothing in the part of the creature but debt yea meere debt nothing on the part of God but merite Now to goe forward in the matter of this thanks-giuing that neuer hes an end that should be without intermission and that God deserues at our handes The matter and cause of thanks-giuing is grace The first grace is Faith not a simple faith but an exceeding grouth in faith Because sayes he your faith grovves exceedinglie The next grace is loue not simple loue but aboundance of loue and abounding in mutuall loue so that the hearts of them ranne ouer in loue as a veshell will doe when it is ouer full Well then there is the matteâ— and cause of this thankes-giuing an exceeding grouth of sure faith al â—undant mutuall loue that euery one bare to other Then compare this place with that which is in the first Epistle chap. 1. verse 3. He thanked God for their faith and loue not for their grouth now his style is higher and he thankes God not for faith simply but for grouth not for loue simply but for abounding in mutuall loue Then ye see since the first tyme the Apostle wrote the first Epistle to them the Thessalonians hes growen in faith and loue There is the lesson Grouth in faith in loue There must be a grouth in grace grace must grow in vs and we must grow in grace If thou grow not in grace faith and loue if thou goe not forvvard of necessity thou must goe backward Thinke not that a man will stand still in one estate of faith and loue so that he will say I wil fix my stalfe here and I will goe no further nor this pointe If thou fix down thy stalfe in faith and loue thou shalt fall faster backward nor euer thou came forward and thou shalt neuer come to the end nor mark If thou fix thy stalf and neuer prease to go forward thou shalt neuer come to that glorious resurrection in plaine talke thou wilt neuer come to Heauen To be homely with you We should haue a care euer to grow in this lyfe for so long as we liue we are either children or at the farthest we are springels to vse that word Then I aske will a childe come to the stature of a man or woman if there be not grouth No Euen so if is impossible to one to come to the stature of that spirituall man without growing we are men when we come to Heauen and are joyned to our head and no sooner and there our grouth ends Can thou come to a spirituall mans stature if thou grow not in faith and loue in this earth And therefore as euer ye vvould come to Heauen and obtaine that glory prease to grow in grace to spring in faith and loue in this world in some measure marke your grouth in grace as euer ye did in stature He will be busie to see it he be higher this yeere nor he was the last yeere but whom marks if he be growne higher in spirituall things this yeere nor he was the last yeere This stature will away these earthly things will away but this grouth â— Christ abydes for euer Of this grouth read Ephes 4. chap. vers 13 14. 15. where he exhorts vs to grovven faith to the 〈◊〉 age of Christ and to grow in loue vntill we be joyned with our head Yet marke more As â—n the first Epistle 1. chap. verse 3. he thanked the Lord for faith simplie and loue simplie so here he giues him all thankes for the grouth therein Marke it He thankes not them for the grouth he giues them not one part of the thankes and God the other but he thankes God for all And good reason for who is able to put one inche to his stature Art thou able to make thy selfe growe in this bodily grouth No it is impossible Then far lesse is there any grouth in the spirituall man but that allanerly which God giues No standing nor perseuerance in grace but that which God giues Al is giuen by God Fy on that stinking doctrine of the Papists When God say they hes giuen man a grace he permits a man to his free will to goe forward as it were in mans owne option whether to goe forward or not I only touch this As the graces commes of God so of necessity the increase grouth of graces commes of God and not of any grace left in vs. In one word Giue him the praise of the beginning of grace giue him the praise of thy progresse in grace giue him the end giue him the praise of all For he it is that giues the grace the progresse and grouth therein it is he that crownes his worke in thee it is he that works all that all the glory of grace may be giuen to him Yet to insist What is this Faith Faith is nothing but a joining of vs with God in Christ What is Loue this mutuall loue Nothing but a joyning of vs with the Church here on earth What is grouth of Faith Nothing but a growing nearer and nearer to God to dravv him nearer and nearer to vs. What is the growing in Loue Nothing but a drawing nearer and nearer to the Church which is the bodie of Christ Then draw neare to the head draw neare to the bodie seuere not thy selfe from it Then what is the matter of thanks-giuing Euen this that they were drawen nearer nor they were before to Christ and to his Church Then brethren when haue we matter of thanking God for any man for any people Euen when we see any man or people drawing nearer to Christ and the body of Christ nor they wer If a man had al the kingdomes of the earth there is no matter to rejoice for in him if we see him ly aback from Christ and from his Church if he draw not nearer and nearer to Christ and his church in
this life I will neuer rejoyce for all his kingdomes Vnhappie is that man that sunders from Christ what euer he be is he a Lord an Earle a King and in the meane-tyme hes he nothing adoe with God vnhappie is he For the greater blessinges worldly if he be not joyned with God and the Church the greater shall be his damnation Then last here looke what he speakes of loue and of the aboundance of loue it is not single loue but loue that is double and mutuall Mâ—tuall loue that is to say the loue that commes from my hart to thy hart and againe the loue that commes from thy hart to my hart that is mutuall and double this is the loue that he praises the double bond of loue and it must not be a double bond onely betweene two there are sundry thinkes they loue wel-eneugh if they loue one and that one loue them again No the Apostle sayes here Euery member of the body must loue all from the highest to the lowest The hand of a man in the owne sort loues the whole members of the body from the head to the foot honorable or vnhonorable high or low be what it wil no member in the body but it loues all So the loue the Apostle craues is that loue that one hes to all and againe that loue that all hes to one So that there should be no member in the body of Christ but it should be linked in with loue to Christ and euery member of his body There is no member of the body of man but it hes a certaine linke whereby it is linked to the rest The finger of the hand hes a link with the toe of the foot albeit they be far distant So there should be no member of the body of Christ but it shold be linked with euery one of the rest of the members albeit they lay ten thousand myles sundrie It lyes not in our power to cause all men loue 〈◊〉 it lyes not in my power to cause al men loue me nor in thy power to cause all men loue thee but I tell thee what thou should doe looke thou loue all for thy part and if they loue not thee againe they haue to answere to God For he cranes this mutuall loue of vs. This is the mutuall loue that holdes the brethren together if it be not the members cannot be joyned together in the bodie It is true we will neuer get it perfite in this earth for so long as the deuill the flesh and our lulles abydes there wil be euer distraction yet we should striue against the deuill and our owne cankerd nature to be linked and joyned with the members of the bodie vntill we be perfitely joyned with Christ where there shall be no seuering If we were once perfitly joyned with him we shal neuer be seuered hereafter There shall neither be deuil nor canker in nature to leuer vs then Therefore this should be our prayer Lord joyne vs to thee that we may no more be seuered from thee and thy Church by the deuâ—le by sin nor our owne corruption Now in the next verse he amplifies this their faith and great loue Their faith and loue was so great that he was forced to preach their praises in all the Churches wherein he resorted he came to no Church but remembring their great faith and loue he was compelled to preach their praises and to set them forth as an example to be followed Before he thanked God for them and for their faith and loue now he glories in the graces they had receiued before the world men and the churches wher he came in his journey When he thanked God concerning them he vtters neuer one word of their praise but comming among men and speaking to men and to the Church there he praises them Mark this difference Then brethren there is a great difference in speaking of the graces of men when we speake to God and before him when we speak to men and before men When thou speakst to God of man let no praise of man be heard before him be ware of that but let God haue al praise and glory if thou be speaking to God if it were of all the kings of the earth vtter no praise of any king there for in comparison with God kings are but dust and worse nor the dust that is trode vnder foote So let God haue al the praise of any grace he hes giuen to any man and say not Lord I praise thee for this parte of the grace and I giue man praise for that parte of the grace No but say Lord I giue thee the vvhole praise of the grace because all the grace he hes gotten is of thee But when we speak to men and tels them of the graces of God men hes gotten then we may glory in men but with this prouision that it be in God We may commend men before men for their faith loue patience but looke that all this commendation be in God first and then to this end to make men whom thou commendst as examples in wel doing See that thou look to the well of them thou speakst to that they should follow them whom thou praisest for wel-doing If thy minde be puft vp without reuerence of God without respect to the wel of him thou speakst to thou derogatst Gods glory we should be ware when we speak to the praise of any man that we derogate nothing from the glory of God Yet marke further the order he vses He glories not first before men and then begins to thank God but first he turnes to God and giues God the glory of the grace he hes giuen to them We ought to thank God sayes he alvvaies for you as it is 〈◊〉 Then he commes to men and glories of their graces in the presence of men Then brethren it is dew tyme to praise men and to giue them their owne commendation for the graces God hes giuen them when first thou hast glorified God giuing him the first praise and commendation This is the order When thou giuest God the first praise and then commes to men and praises the graces in them before men that praise is in God and he allowes of it But vvhen thou beginnes in praising men to men and remembers not God the giuer of all thou spoilest God of his glorie So vve should take verie good heed hovv vve praise godlie men for verie narrovvlie shall vve escape derogation to Gods glorie except the Spirite connoy the vvhole hart and mouth And therefore in praysing men vve should be vvart vve derogate nothing to the glorie of God vvho is the cheefe giuer of all All the kings of the earth should stoup and giue all honour and glorie to God Now in the end of this verse he sets dovvne the matter of this his glorying Faith namely and with Faith he joynes Patience because of your patience and faith in all your persecutions that ye suffer In