reprobate Looke the fifth Chapter of this Gospel The Father hath giuen the Sonne all authoritie and judgement and by him doeth adjudge to life the chosen and to death the reprobate So there is neuer a soule exempted from his judgement The Lord himselfe in the 28. Chapter of Matth. vers 18. hee extendeth his authority larger The Father sayth he hath giuen mee all authoritie in Heauen and in Earth So that Iesus Christ hath not only authority ouer man and woman but ouer the Angels in Heauen he hath power ouer them all and ouer the Deuils and at the Name of IESVS all knees must bow of things Heauenlie and Earthlie if they bow not they shall bee broken I shall tell you more which is very comfortable This authority which the Lord hath gotten in Heauen and in Earth is not as he is God onlie bowbeit principally it be as he is God but this power that hee hath gotten ouer the Angels is euen as hee is man howbeit they bee glorious and farre more glorious that men yet they are not so glorious as the man the Lord Iesus So I saye euen as he is man he is head and King of the Angels Looke the 5. Chapter of Iohn vers 27. The Father hath giuen the Sonne all authoritie and judgement as he is the Sonne of man not onely hath hee this power as he is God but euen that nature of ours wherewith he is clad hath this power It is a worthie thing to bee marked what the Lord gathereth of this authoritie In the 28. Chap. of Matth. vers 18. The Father hath giuen mee all authoritie in Heauen and Earth Theâ—fore goe out saith he and preach and baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the holie Ghost So ye see on that princelie authoritie which the Sonne hath he sendeth out his Disciples to preach And all that the Apostles did in the worlde in preaching and baptizing they did it on the authoritie of Christ Iesus their Lord. There was neuer an Ambassadour that went with such a power as the Apostles of Iesus Christ had in the world And Brethren to come to our selues I say euen this day all this preaching of the Gospel and all this ministring of the Sacraments and Discipline all proceedeth of this princely and kingly authority of the Lord Iesus Marke it The closing vp of Heauen and the opening vp of Heauen to penitent sinners whether it bee by word or discipline all is grounded on an higher authoritie than all the authoritie of the worlde There was neuer a King or Prince that had so great authoritie as this whereon the Discipline according to the worde of GOD and exercise of Religion is grounded And they who contemne this preaching of the Gospel and ministring of the sacramentes and Discipline they contemne not the ordinance of man it were better for them to contemne all the authoritie of Kinges but they contemne the authoritie of the great GOD for in the Kirke there is none authoritie but Christes authoritie and all that is done is founded on this auâ—hority We say not on the authority of Kings or of the Pope The Lord hath not translated this authority to any creature and therefore the Pope hath but an vsurped authority As for the Minister he hath no authority in his own person but onlie in the Lord Iesus And this is the difference betwixt the Kirke and the Policie The Lord Iesus hath giuen a part of his authority to the King or to the Magistrate but the Lord Iesus hath not giuen any part of his authoritie to any of the Kirke In the Policie there are Kinges but in the Kirke there is none but the Lord Iesus And all that tyrannie in the kingdome of the Antichrist is but vsurped there is not a minute of the word of GOD that can be a ground to it When he hath layde downe the ground of life hee telleth who will get this life Will euery one get this life No no neuer one getteth this life from him but the soule that the Father hath pulled out of this world and put into his hand The Lord will know well to whom he will giue this life euerlasting It may be he will throw a Kingdome to a man and giue him these earthly things in great aboundance but hee will not giue to euery one the Kingdome of Heauen If ye will weigh the words ye shall see distinctlie the part of the Father and of the Sonne in the worke of saluation The Father giueth men to the Sonne that is the part of the Father J will giue them life euerlasting that is the part of the sonne First the Father of the Lord Iesus choosed out so manie as hee would haue safe in his Sonne Christ Iesus and then in time hee calleth on them whome hee hath chosen hee knoweth them well enough hee calleth them by his worde and draweth the soules of them vnto him for if they bee not drawne they will not come as hee sayeth in the sixt Chapter of this Gospel vers 44. No man commeth to mee but them whome the Father draweth Hee draweth them by his holie Spirite to the Sonne and then hee and the Sonne keepeth them to the daye of their full redemption and giueth them life euerlasting So yee may see in this place and in the Epistle of Iude at the beginning that all who are safe in Iesus Christ are first called by the Father To them sayeth Iude who are called and sanctified by GOD and are saued by IESVS CHRIST I marke on this what is the grounde of this authoritie where hee sayeth These a home thou hast giuen mee J will giue them life euerlasting Hee ascribeth this authoritie to the Father and hee sayeth hee will saue none but these whome the Father hath giuen him All the Brethren reade of IESVS CHRIST the Sonne of GOD in this Euangel and thorowe out the whole Gospel yee shall neuer reade of him where hee speaketh of anie thing that hee is doing hath done or shall doe but hee giueth the whole glorie of it to the Father What meaneth this This is the ground of it He had his commission from the Father He came from the Heauen to the Earth out of the bosome of the Father he was an Ambassadour sent from his Father Nowe it is good reason that an Ambassadour sent in an Ambassadrie not only in deed but also in worde honour his Prince otherwayes hee is but a traytor The LORD IESVS was an Ambassadour sent from the Father therefore in all his actions and in all his wordes hee honoureth his Father There is not one of vs all but wee haue a commission from GOD and is placed in a calling and there is not one of vs high nor lowe but wee are borne to doe some thing Then if the Sonne of God equall with God hauing a calling of his Father sought to glorifie God so let vs also in word and deed
world but him who had the greatest power in the world And so in judging him the holy Spirit conuicteth the worlde That hee was the Iudge of the worlde Colloss 2. vers 15. it is saide When hee hung vpon the Crosse he sate most gloriously in a Chariot There was neuer an Emperour who was carried in such a glorious Chariot as the Lord howbeit hee was abject in the sight of the worlde In that Chariot hee taketh the Deuils and taketh all their power and leadeth them in triumph and maketh an open showe of them So there is his victory which hee gotte ouer the Deuill the prince of this world Indeede I grant that the Deuill as yet hath a great power in this worlde Ephes Chap. 2. vers 2. And hee runneth about like a roaring Lion yet he is ouercome and chained in darknesse Iud. 6. That is Hee is in chaines of terrible horrour and anguish howbeit hee will deceiue men women and make them to thinke that he is free to doe what he will be lies he is in a great horror Now the godly who find the mortification of that sinfull nature find that the Deuil is ouercome for except the Deuill were ouercome sinne would reigne in the worlde for the kingdome and tyranny of the Deuill and the kingdome of sinne and death are euer conjoyned So the godly who find that the old man is crucified finde that the Deuill is ouercome The vngodly also in whom the Deuill the prince of this world reigneth 2. Corint 4. vers 4. they are conuicted in their consciences That the Lord hath ouercome the Deuill The Murderers Blasphemers Adulterers c. are conuict by the light of the Gospel That Sathan whom they serue as as many slaues is but a slaue himselfe vanquished by Christ Iesus and bound with chains of darknesse albeit thorowe induration and malice of their heartes they prefer his bondage to the liberty of the Kingdome of Christ And I denounce In the Naâ—e of the Great GOD of Heauen If they continue their portion shall bee with the Deuill the Lord Iesus shall be auenged on them For albeit the Lord Iesus be in Heauen sitting at the right hand of that glorious Majesty yet hee leaueth not his poore members destitute of comfort As before hee said I will not leaue you comfortlesse as soone as he went to Heauen he sent downe his Spirit by whom hee reigneth in the worlde Nowe that Spirit is either conuerting the soules of men to Christ or else he is conuicting and condemming the obstinate And bee thou assured that if the holy Spirit conuert not thy soule by this worde hee shall conuict thee and stoppe thy mouth and keepe thee in chaines to that great Iudge the Lord Iesus and thou shalt bee so conuict in this world that thou shalt not haue a worde to saye in that great Day Paul speaketh of this 2. Cor. 10. vers 5. Those who will not bee conuerted but remaine disobedient I shall cause vengeance light vpon them and I shall bee the sauour of death vnto death to them So either shalt thou bee conuerted by the worde or else bee conuicted and condemned Now when he hath dipped into this doctrine hee cutteth off the speach and saieth J haue many moe things to speake to you but ye cannot beare them now That is ye are not capable of them now There were other causes no doubt that here vrged him to cut short his language as namely because the houre of his death was at hand as Chap. 14. vers 30. Another was because as hee saieth Chap. 15. vers 15. All thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue J made knowne vnto you and therefore now hee would not insist to repeate or expound theâ— heere but hee remitteth farder reuelation to the Spirite Foolishe therefore are the Papistes who grounde on this place their Traditions for all grace and power to vnderstand anie thing of Iesus Christ and of the saluation of man is of the Spirit The Lord knew well what power he hath giuen to euerie one to vnderstand the waye of saluation and according therevnto hee measureth his instruction hee submitteth himselfe to their rudenesse and capacitie If thou be an Infant hee will not giue thee solide and strong foode but Milke So hee willeth a Minister to measure the doctrine conforme to the grouth and power of the hearers The Ministers in euerie Congregation should know who are Infants and who are not and accordinglie vse discretion This worde is to bee marked I haue manie thinges to tell you and yet I will not tell you them now The Minister should instruct the soberest in meanest thinges and yet he should subjoyne this There is an higher mysterie if thou werest capable thereof that they may desire to growe in knowledge Some foolishe men will saye If I had the Creede and Pater noster and the Commandementes I care not for more knowledge that will not serue thee no no as thou gettest a sight of Christ so shouldest thou haue a great desire to receiue farder grouth and in-sight and striue to get a perfection for albeit wee appeare to our selues sometimes to haue cunning and knowledge enough yet it is but little which the best of vs hath in respect of that which wee should haue for heere wee see but in a part wee knowe but in a part Reade 1. Corinth 13. vers 9. We should therefore neuer be content of the knowledge we haue but should aye striue to get more and with all these Preachinges striue to get Iesus Christ and to see his face more and more as it were in a glasse till once our fayth bee turned into sight and then wee shall get sacietie of knowledge Howe dangerous a thing it is to a man who hath gotten but little knowledge there to bide the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 6. vers 4. declareth for there he denounceth an heauie judgement against those who haue gotten a piece af knowledge and stand there yea and fall away from it hee saieth there is no place of repentance for them And indeed it is not possible but if a man gette once a solide taste and sight of those heauenlie thinges but hee will striue most earnestlie to haue a farder knowledge sight and fore-tasting of them night and daye euen till hee get full sacietie of joye and glorie 1. Petr. 2 vers 2. Therefore I beseech you neuer to rest till yee get a sight of Christ by and aboue all knowledge that in him yee may haue all perfection To whome with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all praise honour and glory worlde without ende So bee it THE XIV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvi VERS 13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.21.22 13 Howbeit when hee is come which is the Spirite of trueth hee will leade you into all trueth for hee shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer hee shall heare shall hee speake and hee will shew you the thinges to
leadeth vs in the way of trueth and verity We are all out of the way till he leade vs in the way of saluation There is neuer man nor woman who is not naturally full of vanity and his heart full of lies no trueth chiefly in the way that leadeth to life and saluation The spirit of errour occupieth naturally the heartes of men and women vntill this blessed Spirite enter into their heartes The name is to bee marked First hee is called the Comforter Secondlie the Spirit of trueth The one of these is the cause of the other And the Spirite of GOD is the Comforter and ministreth comfort to the soules of men and vvomen because hee is the Spirite of veritie For Brethren this knowledge of God is the grounde of all comfort and vvithout the knowledge of our saluation there is no comfort in this life When the Spirite of God entereth into the soule of a man or woman he first beginneth to let the creature see the sinfulnesse that lieth in nature the miserie death and damnation that followeth on sinne The first knowledge we can haue is to knowe vvhat we are by nature So the first worke of the Spirit of Veritie is when he letteth a man or woman see that hee is but sinfull and dead vnder sinne The second point of knowledge that the Spirite vvill leade thee vntill hee vvill let thee see mercy in thy deliuerance from sinne and death The best sight that euer a miserable creature sawe and the ioyfullest this sight vvill bee accompanied vvith such a ioy as the heart of man cannot expresse As the sight of sinne was heauy so this sight of grace mercy in Iesus Christ is sweet yea the ioyfullest sight that euer the creature got The third point of knowledge he vvill leade thee vnto is hee vvill let thee see the vvay howe thou shouldest meete that mercifull God and vvhat shoulde bee thy duety for such a mercifull deliuerance If any man or vvoman haue this Spirit of Verity he must see these three things and if they see not these three they vvist neuer what vvas the Spirite of Verity Looke vvhat followeth on these three sights all the ioye in the vvorlde the heart vvist neuer vvhat ioye vvas vvhile then If one had all the riches in the vvorlde all the pleasures in the vvorlde if they vvant the Spirite they vvant that true ioye in death in life hee that vvanteth that Spirit can haue no ioy vvhen death commeth to him and the vvorld leaueth him how can he reioyce no he cannot So vvouldest thou haue ioye and chiefely in the houre of death and that is a sad houre when the vvorlde is leauing thee and thou leauing it for thou must leaue it Get this blessed sight and this Spirite of Verity and hee shall vvorke comfort in thy soule both in thy life and in the houre of death Now againe the second time he aggreageth this benefite for the benefite of the soule cannot bee aggreaged enough before he aggreageth it in that it should abide vvith them for euer Now he aggreageth it from the condition of the vvorld and hee sayth Hee is such a Spirit that the worlde cannot receiue The aggreaging of this benefite to the soule is by opposition to the vvorlde The vvorld sayth the Lord receiued not this Spirit of Verity vvhom yee shall receiue It hath a great force the Spirite of GOD vvhen hee vvoulde amplifie the grace that the Chosen gette in the vvorlde vseth to sette downe a grace opposite to the worlde vvho getteth not this grace but in place of it getteth miserie So in the threescore Chapter of Esay and the twelfth Verse hee sayeth The Lord shall rise vp and make the beames of his mercie to shine vpon his owne Hee setteth not downe this simplie but to let them see the greatnesse of the benefite hee subjoyneth an opposition And darknesse sayeth hee shall couer the Earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall rise vp to shine vpon thee with the beames of that his mercy and his glory shall bee seene vpon thee This is done that the godly should see the greatnesse of the mercy of God towards them One contrary will make another the better to be knowne Brethren wee see this all the aduersaries vse this argument against vs Your Kirke is contracted in little boundes and your Profession is but narrow and fewe imbrace it where yee finde one who professeth as yee professe ye will find an hundreth who contemne your Doctrine So say they because the multitude imbraceth it not it is not the true Light But these wordes condemne them The Lord sayeth The vvorlde cannot receiue the Spirite of Veritie They say The vvorlde must receiue the Spirite of Veritie or else it is not the Spirite of Veritie So to ende this Wee must bee so farre from that to count the lesse of this blessed Light and of these whome the Lord vsed as instrumentes after hee had taken them out of the darke Kingdome of the Antichrist to make this Light shine like the Sunne that euen by the contrary wee must count the more of it And it is an argument that it is the Trueth because the Lord will not communicate it with the multitude And woe is the soule that neuer saw this Light Precious thinges are but rare The more pecious a grace bee euermore since the beginning of the worlde it is the rarer No man getteth this Light communicated to them but those secret ones whom the Lord hath chosen And we one day shall blesse this Light that euer we saw it The worde is to bee marked The worlde cannot receiue him This worde importeth that the fault wherefore the worlde receiueth not this Spirite is not in the Spirite but the fault is in the vvorlde it selfe vvho vvanteth the hand and so neither will nor can receiue such a grace The Lord in his worde offereth to all men indifferentlie this Spirite and as it were by his vvorde knocketh at the heartes of men and women to receiue such a guest There is none of vs who heareth this glorious Euangel but the Lord knocketh at the doore of his soule to take in this Holy Spirit to dwell with him But looke howe hee is answered All receiueth not this Spirit and all hearts are not opened to take him in yea very fewe there bee who take in this Spirite in their heart when they heare this Euangel Take heed there is no grace nor welfare without this Spirit and howe can the heart bee glad without him Yet they are few who get him To speak the trueth There is no man nor woman who is naturally borne to receiue this Spirit of God The naturall man sayth Paul is not capable of the thinges that are of God 1. Cor. 2.14 So by nature all men and women are alike Then who maketh the difference sayth Paul to the Corinthians What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Cor. 4.7 Then if there bee a
Let not the Minister leaue off to preach and let not the people leaue off to heare but let euer the sâ—ede bee sowne and let euer the heart receiue the seede and holde euer vp the eare and in despite of thine heart when thine heart would loathe it euer heare and striue to holde vp thine eares and abide in patience till the Lord send better Peter in his first Epist chap. 1. vers 23. he calleth the seed of the word an immortall seed It will neuer die it may be choaked holden down It can no more die saith Peter than God can die So of necessity in the ende when it shall please God to waken that word by his holy Spirit in the heart then it shall afford solide joy and consolation till vs these sentences shal be called to our remembrance which wee heard before without fruit and edification We haue found this in experience wheÌ„ man or woman hath most adoe in affliction this same very Comforter will come to the heart and renew the remembrance and will cause them to haue a joy in that word which they heard before with deafe eares And this is true that at the last hee shall comfort his owne with that worde which they hearde with deafe eares for the worde cannot passe awaye without some effect Hee sayeth The holy Spirite shall teach them all things We know he who teacheth is called a Teacher yet when he sayth The holy Spirit shall teach he calleth him not a Teacher but a Comforter because al his doctrine tendeth to consolation There is no comfortable doctrine but that doctrine of the holy Spirit inwardly working in the soule We will say Men will teach comfortable doctrine but all the comfortable doctrine we heare proceedeth of this that the holy Spirit accompanieth their doctrine and worketh comfort inwardly If thou hast anie consolation inwardlie by teaching thou mayest rejoyce and bee assured that thou hast a glorious Doctour euen the third person of the Trinitie in thine heart There is no consolation in the outwarde Teacher without him whome the Father shall sende in my Name The Father sendeth the holie Spirite in the Name of the Sonne and sendeth that Spirit by his Sonne as Mediator The Spirite and all his graces floweth till vs from the Father but mediatelie thorowe the Sonne as a mediate person There commeth not a grace till vs but thorow the Sonne All power is giuen to him and thorow him immediately all joye is conuoyed to the creature The Iewes and Paganes passe ouer this and thinke to climbe vp to God the Father without the Messias but they shall neuer see him for the God of Heauen hath placed in him as in a store-house all grace vvhich he shall bestow vpon the vvorld as Iustice Mercy Sanctification Ioye Peace and tranquility of Conscience and hee hath bought them by no lesse price than by his Blood they are all bought by the blood of the immaculate Lambe of God Thou vvho hast gotten a sponke of that grace thou hast gotten a greater grace than if thou hadst gotten all the Kingdomes of the vvorlde But what shall he teach you All things Not all the fantasies of men not the inuentions of the Pope but all things J haue tolde you The Lord be mercifull to this worlde vvhich wandereth after the inuentions of men And blessed art thou who restest vpon that vvord which the Spirit hath told Marke hath the vvorde preached none effect but by the Spirit conuoying it Not Euen so on the other part the Spirit will teach nothing but that which hath come out of the mouth of Iesus Christ Bee not deceiued What call I the word of Christ That is the word of Christ that â—he Prophets spake of olde as Peter testifieth for the Prophets spake by the Spirit of Christ Next I call the word of Christ that which he spake himselfe in the worlde Thirdly that which the Apostles spake Last I call the worde of God the Scriptures of the Olde and New Testament vvhich the Lord hath registrated in his mercie And take it awaye miserable darknesse shall come vpon the vvorlde Let it stand giue it the owne power it shall shine like light vnto the worlde They will saye it hath not all that Christ spake and that the Apostles spake I answere The Lord Iesus spake nothing nor his Apostles spake nothing but all in effect is contained in this written word There is not a word that the Spirit of Iesus shall speake vnto thy soule but onely that which is registrated in the Olde and New Testament That Trueth shall stand inspite of the world This place therefore confuteth all them that are enemies to the Scriptures Mahomet began said the Scripture was imperfect The Pope brought in mens Traditions to supply the wants of the Scriptures Others as the Anabaptistes awaite on that reuelation of the Spirit besides that reuelation of Iesus Christ in his worde But inspite of them they shall get none other reuelation nor the Spirit shall accompany no word but that which Iesus hath spoken left in register Now Lord if we with whome hee hath let his light remaine shoulde praise him The Lord accompany his worde with the presence of his Spirite that Comforter in our soules inwardly till his comming in the Cloudes and we see him face to face To whom bee praise honour and glory for euer and euer Amen THE EIGHT LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xiiii VERS 27.28.29.30.31 27 Peace J leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your heart bee troubled nor feare 28 Yee haue heard howe I saide vnto you I goe away and will come vnto you Jf yee loued mee yee would verily reioyce because J saide I goe vnto the Father for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I haue spoken vnto you before it come that when it is come to passe yee might belieue 30 Heereafter will J not speake manie thinges vnto you for the prince of this world commeth and hath nought in mee 31 But it is that the worlde may knowe that I loue my Father and as the Father hath commanded mee so I doe Arise let vs goe hence IN the beginning of this Chapter Brethren Christ began to comfort his Disciples against the time hee was to with-drawe his bodily presence from them and he continued a while in comforting them and then after he beginneth to exhort them First to belieue in him and next to obedience to keepe his Commaundementes and hee insisted chiefely in this That they should keepe the worde hee spake vnto them in his absence Now in the beginning of these wordes wee haue read the Lord returneth againe to that consolation that he began with to wit That they should not bee troubled in his absence The arguâ—ent is taken from that peace hee leaueth with them Seeing I leaue peace with you what need yee to bee troubled
of sharpnesse as it were So Dauid in the 42. Psal vers 11. vvhen he findeth himselfe carried away with a vehement affection of sorrowe and ouer farre casten downe in his exile he sayth Why art thou casten downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee vvait on God for I will yet giue him thankes c. So wee should presse downe the affection with a reproofe as the Lord doth here Hee layeth downe the ground of his reproofe I tolde you J would goe away and I tolde you I would come againe in my Spirit and now I am to depart to my Father Now he saith yee loue me not because ye rejoyce not that I am to goe to glorie vvith my Father for my Father is greater than I that is I goe to be partaker of that glory which the Father hath and when as yee are sad at my departure ye vtter that yee enuy my glory Marke the wordes Heretickes who aâ—leadged that Christ was a God but created in time and not equall with the Father Though they got a great vantage out of this place The Father is greater than J The Fathers of olde exponed this place well That it was to be vnderstood of the humane nature and not of the diuine Yet there is another exposition of this that is That this place is not so much to bee vnderstood of the nature of Christ as of his office The Godhead of the Lord Iesus the Sonne being equall with the Father taketh an office vpon him by the which he becoÌ„meth inferiour to the Father to wit hee becoÌ„meth Mediator The office standeth in this He taketh vpon him the flesh of a seruant Next he becoÌ„meth obedient yea euen to the death of the Crosse in that nature so in respect of this office he maketh himselfe inferior to the Father By this we must not gather that he was inferior to the Father in person Majesty or essence howbeit in office hee was vnequall inferior to the Father For as that reuerent Father Cyrillus sayeth Missiò obedientia non tollunt aequalitatem potentiae essentiae Therefore ye see the Heretickes as namely Arrius out of this place haue no ground for that blasphemous heresie But consider yet more narrowly what the Lord saith And ye loued me ye would haue reioyced in that I said J would depart As he would say The very wordes that yee turne to your discomfort sorrow should haue bene mater of joy and comfort There is neuer a word that the Lord speaketh to his owne no neuer one but in them all is matter of joye howbeit the words will seeme sharpe yet all the words of the Lord that he speaketh to his tende to their joye and consolation and all they that loue the Lord Iesus should construct all the deeds words of the Lord to their comfort let him take away worldly riches honour health friendes life it selfe c. all should work comfort to them But brethren we are so corrupt blind by nature that we see not the Lords purpose what he is doing to vs we make the words of the Lord wherin we should take pleasure ioy to be mater of displeasure I speak not this to take away sense of the sharpnesse of the Lord to coÌ„mend Stoâ—ke senslesnes but herin we fail that sadnes is without ioy coÌ„solatioÌ„ Now the Lord craues this that with bitternes we should taste sweetnes indeed heauines is the comliest thing that can be in a Christian sadnes becoÌ„meth a sinner well but in the mean time there should be joy in the soule 1. Thes 5.16 Reioyce euermore He findeth no fault with them that they were sad but because they would receiue no comfort He saith Jf ye loued me ye wold reioyce because I said I go to the Father One who loueth another truly will reioyce in the weale of the other Loue bringes a rejoycing he or she that loues Christ that gets greatest joy in the hart as enuy eats vp the hart of man or woman in whom it is one who loues another will reioyce at the good estate of the other at his prosperity riches honor one who loues the Lord Iesus well rejoyces to see him glorified that shold be our joy to see the Lord Iesus glorified his kingdome aduanced cursed be thou who laughs at the down-throwing of the kingdom of the Lord Iesus no they who loues God will curse all their kin as he sayes here himself they who loue the Lord Iesus their delite shall bee to see him glorified Th' Apostles not taking such ioy as they oght to see him glorified their loue was preposterous no doubt they loued him intierly Peter loued him Iohn loued him the rest loued him yet the Lord shewes that their loue was with a great ignorance the flesh was mixed with it it was not sincere So let vs tak heed to our loue not only to that loue we beare to Christ but euen to men man to wife parents to children we should take heed that it be a true loue and not a preposterous loue I call it not a true loue that hath nothing but sadnes with it for the death of another wheÌ„ a Christian goes to ioy and when we are sad for them then we vtter an enuy in our heartes of their glory Indeede wee should not want naturall affection and wee may haue displeasure for the want of our brother but looke that displeasure bee not for thy brothers joye and that hee is participant of that glorie with Christ and the hope of that Resurrection The remembrance of the assembling of the Sainctes of God to meete their Head in the Cloudes should cause thee rejoyce The Lord lift vp our heartes to the Heauen from this earth whereon we are so fixed and make vs to waite continually for that blessed assembly of the Sainctes that when hee commeth in the cloudes we may be carried to remaine with him in ioy for euer Now in the words following the Lord setteth downe the ende of his speaking to his Disciples and chiefely of this that he forewarneth them that hee was to depart Heere is the chiefe ende That they should belieuâ— in him that hee was that promised Messias the Sonne of God when they should see the accomplishment of all his sayings that they should belieue The whole word of God leads vs to this that men should belieue in Iesus Christ there is not a word spoken in the Scripture but it leads vs to Christ whether the Lord speak of things to come as in the Prophets or of things done as in the Evangels all tendeth to this to leade vs to Iesus Christ to belieue in him They who get not this end in the word they get no fruit of the word Hee sayth not These things I tolde you before the hand that ye should belieue But he addeth I haue told you them before the hand that when they come to passe ye should
belieue The perfection of fayth standeth not in fore-telling but in accomplishment It is true the fore-speaking of the thinges of Christ to come hath force to worke fayth in the heartes of men and women All the godly men and women before Christ had nothing but fore-telling of Christ that hee was to come into the vvorld and vpon these fore-tellings they belieued So the predictions of Christ in all time wrought fayth in the heartes of the Fathers of olde But fayth then is confirmed and made stronger vvhen the euent answereth to the prediction And therefore wee vvho nowe liue haue greater matter of fayth and consolation than they had who liued vnder the Lawe they had but the predictions of Christ but we now vnder the Gospel haue not only the predictions but also the accomplishment of all that was spokon fore-told by the Prophets And therefore Christ comparing vs to the people of old Luke 10.23 sayeth Blessed are the eyes that see these things which ye see I say to you Many Kinges and Prophets desired to see these things that ye see and yet saw them not And againe Abraham longed to see my dayes John 8.16 In very deede vvee haue a great blessing vvho are come into the worlde since Christ came But here is the fault We cannot apprehend that joye and happinesse The Apostle considering this hee sayeth Rejoyce continually 1. Thessal 5.16 Wee neuer consider the graâ—e vvhich we haue vnder the Gospel When he hath set downe this ende the Lord appearingly concludeth this conference with his Disciples Heereafter I will not speake may thinges to you And hee giueth the reason for why The Prince of this worlde commeth My speach is cut off because the Deuill is come against mee vvith all his force and hee is come like a Burrio to execute that which the Father ordained to be done from all eternity Marke as the houre drewe neare vvhen the Lord should haue laide downe his life for the world so the Deuils drew neare vvho were appointed to execute that turne and they began to assault him very busily and assault him not only by the wicked instrumentes as Iudas Pilate and the Iewes but the Deuill and all the whole force of Hell in their owne persons rushed out vpon Christ and especially when the Lord Iesus hung vpon the Crosse at that time chiefelie hee had his combate with the Deuils Bee not deceiued Hee suffered not onelie that paine in bodie and wrath of his Father but at that instant hee had a battell with all the Deuils in Hell for they thought to haue wracked him then and to haue triumphed ouer him and by his wracke to haue wracked all men and to haue disgraced the glory of God for in Iesus Christ is all the glory of God and all saluation of man Paul in the second to the Coloss Vers 15. sayeth That Christ vpon the Crosse triumphed ouer the powers of Hell and made an open shewe of them and this importeth that they rushed on him on the Crosse that they might ouer-come him Christ fighteth with all the powers of Hell on the Crosse and taketh all the power from them and openlie in the sight of the worlde hee leadeth them captiue after the manner of a victorious Conquerour Yet ere wee leaue this we see another thing As the houre drewe neare as the Deuils drewe neare with the houre of Iesus Christ What doeth hee Goeth hee to eschewe them Goeth hee out of Hierusalem as hee did of before Goeth hee to hide himselfe No no But as the houre drewe neare and as the Deuils drewe neare so the Lord Iesus meeteth death and the Deuill and draweth neare to them and willinglie putteth himselfe into their hands knowing it was the will of his Father Hee is as readie to die offer himselfe and put himselfe into their hands as they were bent to seeke him This is our lesson When the Lord giueth vs tokens that Death is at hand as Age sicknesse or afflictions for they are summondes to warne vs What shoulde wee doe Should wee abhorre from it No goe forwarde and bee readie to imbrace death goe to him and meete him and take a gripe of him as hee imbraâ—eth thee so imbrace thou him for death is nothing else but a passage to joye when thou abhorrest death thou abhorrest that porte to glorie and eternall life Now I goe forward It might haue beene saide by his Disciples What Hath the Deuill such a power ouer thee Art thou so vanquished by him that thou must breake of speach The Lord meeteth this and sayth He hath nought in me That is For all his coÌ„ming against me he haâ—h no power or jurisdiction ouer me thinke not that the prince of this world hath ought ouer me the prince of this world or rather the tyrant with his tyranny coÌ„meth in by sinne Sinne entereth not so soone but as soone hee begaâ— to reigne where sin is there is his power But would the Lord say in me he shall find no matter of his kingdome therefore hee hath no power ouer me Another generall It is not seemly that the inferior should haue power ouer the Superioâ— But so it is the Lord Iesus is God and the Deuill is his inferior therefore hee hath no power ouer me He assaileth him because he had our burden vpon him Nowe marke one thing The holy Spirit in the Scripture New and Old vvhere he speaketh of the suffering of Christ he is very carefull to note these circumstances that Christ suffered nothing but that which God decreed In the Acts 24. Chap. What could they doe to him but that which thy counsell had decreed Another vvhen it commeth to the execution of the decree the Spirit maketh God to bee the Agent vvho decreed it Looke the eight Chapter to the Romanes Hee spared not his owne Sonne but hee gaue him to the death What was the Deuill but an instrument in the hande of God The holy Spirit telleth vs this also that the Lord Iesus suffered willingly as willing was the Lord Iesus to suffer as was the Father to giue him Iohn 10. vers 18. No man taketh my life from mee I haue power to lay downe my life and to take vp my life againe Gal. 1.2 Heb. 9. Hee offered himselfe Wherefore is it that the suffering of Christ is set downe with these particular circumstances The first reason is The Spirit of God will let vs see that in the suffering of Christ there is no disgracing of the glory of God indeed if he had suffered against Gods will and his decree then God had beene disgraced but when wee knowe it was not against Gods will there is no disgracing of the glory of God Another is If the Crosse of Christ had bene against Christs owne will it had bene a great discomfort to men and women and had beene a great offence to the worlde Last the willingnesse of the Sonne to suffer letteth vs see that the suffering of Iesus
his life for his friendes 14 Yee are my friendes if yee doe whatsoeuer J commaund you YEE heard the last day Beloued in the Lord Iesus the first exhortation of the Chapter was That his Disciples should abide in that vnion with him and he with them Wee haue sundry arguments of this purpose The first Except yee abide in mee and in that vnion with me yee can bring foorth no fruit nor doe no good in this world The second is That if yee abide in me and I in you ye shall bee full of good workes The third If a man abide not in mee and I in him hee shall bee casten out of the Kirke and once being casten out he shal wither for out of Christ there is no sap of life and then being dried vp hee shall bee gathered vp like a drie sticke and casten into the fire to burne So the argument in this Hee who cannot abide in Christ he shall bee casten into the fire of Hell these arguments wee haue heard Now in this Text the Lord goeth forwarde in the argumentes and first he giueth the fourth reason wherefore they should abide in him then he passeth to other exhortations Then the fourth and last argument is this If ye abide in me and my words in you then what euer ye aske or seeke ye shall haue it Note the wordes If yee abide in me and my words in you Before hee sayd If I abide in you But all is alike the Lord Iesus abideth in the heart by the worde and by fayth so all is alike But to come to the argument What euer shall be your desire aske and ye shall haue it that is If ye abide in me all your petitions shall be granted This argument is very alluring to tell a man what euer he desireth he shall haue Before hee threatned now he allureth Ye see how the Lord tempereth his arguments But Brethren marke this in respect of whom is this argument alluring and whom moueth it Not euery one tell this to a man or woman who hath no sense of their need they will answere when they heare this Wee haue no need to aske tell this to a senselesse sinner he will answere he hath no need what need hath the whole of the Phisicion but tell it to them who haue felt the weight of sinne and who haue felt their want and knowe they are depriued of the glory of God and strangers from the life of God as the Apostle sayth it shall be the joyfullest and sweetest hearing that euer they heard hee will be moued when he heareth this sweete promise Then when wee come to heare of the promises of grace in Christ let vs prepare our selues this way and say I am voyde of al grace therefore I will goe heare these faire promises of grace Now the thing I marke here Yee see how a sinner getteth grace and yee see by what degrees hee commeth to grace The first and immediate meane to get grace and mercy is to seeke aske and thou shalt haue Heauen is little worth and if it bee not worth the asking beg Heauen and thou shalt haue it But who is it can doe this Can all men doe it Looke what must goe before asking ere a man can aske grace there must bee a thirst and a desire looke that the heart bee hungry Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall bee filled The worlde is full of want yet they haue not a sense of want or an heart to seeke Howe riseth the desire in the heart The desire riseth of a feeling in the heart of a wonderfull inlacke and misery when a sinner feeleth hee is voyde of all grace with this sense together with a sadnesse godly sorrow for it hath euer sadnesse for who wanteth these earthly things but they will bee sad So the want of these Heauenly things hath a sadnesse with it Paul sayth 2. Corinth 5. vers 4. Wee being burthened with sinne wee sigh for sadnesse Whosoâ—uer feeleth this burthen of sinne and mortality will sigh and sob But from whence commeth the feeling and dolour The sinner cannot haue it of himselfe for flesh and blood that is the corrupt nature will not feele this sense but it commeth of the Siprit of God Paul Rom. 8. â—ers 26. saith The Spirit of God intercedeth for vs with sighs vnspeakable And againe We who haue gotten the first fruits of the Spirit sigh So it is the Spirit who raiseth vp these sighes in the heart and without the Spirit thou canst not once giue a sigh Thou mayst sigh like a man but not like a Spirituall man And how gette wee the Spirit Belieue in Iesus Christ faith in Christ furnisheth vs the Spirit Ephes 1. vers 13. After yee haue belieued yee are sealed vp with the holy Spirit of promise for faith draweth out of Christ into the heart that Spirit The grace of all grace is to belieue in Iesus Christ and hauing him thou shalt get the Spirit I grant the Spirite must goe before and worke faith but it is true also that by faith wee gette a fuller measure of the Spirit So faith in the blood of Iesus is the fountaine of all grace for all grace floweth from that blood and the merit therof and by the power of the Spirit which accompanieth that blood grace is applied till vs. Then yee see that faith is the beginning of grace the holy Spirit followeth faith after the holy Spirite followeth a sense of our misery and want vpon this sense followeth an earnest desire vpon the desire followeth asking by asking grace is obtained So looke thou stand in Christ if thou wouldest haue grace Out of this place yee may aske this question Will a man get all that hee seeketh of Christ Hee answereth here If yee abide in mee and my wordes abide in you aske conforme to this worde and thou shalt obtaine it if thou aske any Spirituall grace thou shalt get it Vndoubtedly Heauen and Earth shall perish ere thou want it As for earthly thinges he will not aye giue them according to thy desire but as hee thinketh meet for his owne glory and thy weale And howe can they want who getteth the Kingdome of Heauen The Lord shall giue them so much as shall content them The Lord shall giue thee so much as is necessary to a Pilgrime Nowe wee goe to the seconâ—e exhortation which is to good workes The first was to stande in that vnion with Christ The second is to bring out good works Herein is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit and in this ye shall be knowne to be my Disciples There are the two thinges hee sayeth not Bring out fruite but Bring out much fruite that is doe much A man should striue not to bring out fruite but much fruite and indeede if wee continue in that vnion with Christ wee shall grow in that regeneration and so wee growe in good workes The first argument hee
this that they had a peartnesse and boasting of faith it were sufficient In the 26. Chap. of Matth. vers 33.34 when the Lord saith Verilie verilie yee shall all bee offended in mee this night what saieth Peter in the name of the rest Shall wee leaue thee Wee shall die with thee So hee and the rest boasteth of their faith Well sayeth the Lord Peter thou boastest now remember that ere the Cocke crow thou shalt denie mee thrise So though there were no more but this boasting of faith it testifieth that their faith was more fleshly than spirituall for worldly fleshly confidence is ay proude so all this cōfidence is with pride but that spirituall faith and confidence is aye with lowlinesse And O how lowly a faithfull man will be he will aye feare and feele his owne weaknesse Hee that hath the greatest faith in Christ Iesus hath the greatest lowlinesse and feare for the greater the faith bee hee will haue the greater sense of his owne weaknesse Yee see howe Paul in the 11. Chap. to the Rom. vers 20. speaking to the Gentiles saieth Bee not proude thou standeth by fayth stand with feare where feare is not there is no faith in Iesus Christ the man who hath a sense of his owne weaknesse gripeth fastest to Christ So yee reade of the man in the Euangel when as the Lord said vnto him Belieuest thou He saith J belieue Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe So hee or shee that belieueth in Christ will haue a sense of weaknesse for the power of God is aye with a feare and dread dread I saye of their weaknesse lest in this battell which wee haue against nature nature preuaile ouer the Spirit This is the nature of him or her who hath true faith in Iesus Christ Marke the words hee sayth Beholde the houre commeth and is already come that yee shall bee scattered euerie man to his owne and shall leaue mee alone Yee would maruell hee was euen nowe comforting them and nowe hee driueth them downe and sayeth to them Yee shall leaue mee that is euery one of them should depart from him and seeke their owne shelter This is great matter of dejectour Brethren looke howe needfull it is to raise vp an heart which is casten down and to giue comfort to a comfortlesse soule as needfull is it to cast downe the heart which is puffed vp with vaine conceit and if the proude heart bee casten downe in mercy it is for the weale of the creature There is nothing more meete in this worlde to prepare vs against the daye of triall than the dejection of the soule for heere the Lord is preparing his Disciples against the day of affliction that their faith should be grounded not on the workes but on the words of Iesus Christ There is nothing more needfull than to trie thy faith wel and ay look down to thine heart and looke well to this that thy confidence rise not on flesh and blood There are many whose confidence leaneth on flesh and blood and on nature thinking that they are strong and stout Take heede that thy confidence bee not on flesh and blood but on the Spirite of Iesus Christ and there is nothing better against the daye of persecution than to put a difference betwixt the motions of the fleshe and the motions of the Spirite and the strength of the fleshe and the strength of the Spirite For what was Peters bragging but the strength of the flesh For the strength of the flesh will beguile a good man So prepare thy selfe this way in trying thy selfe for and if thou doest not this thou shalt neuer willingly suffer Yea when thou shalt bee brought before the fire then thou shalt start abacke Therefore striue aye to haue a sense of the weaknesse of thy nature I will glorie in my weakenesse sayeth Paul There is none strong in God but they who are weake in themselues And if thou bee strong in thy selfe in fleshe and bloode thou hast no strength of GOD and doubtlesse at one time or other thou shalt fall But when thou feelest thy weaknesse and sighest and gronest vnder the burthen thereof thou art strong Yee heare that after Paul seeking to be fred of his weaknesse which hee felt had gotten this answere My shrength sayeth Christ is perfected infirmitie Then sayeth hee I will glorie in mine infirmitie 2. Corinth 12. vers 9. Nowe in the next wordes left it should haue seemed grieuous to them that they should leaue him alone hee subjoyneth by waye of correction But I am not alone for the Father is with mee The thing which riseth of this is plaine and I propone it in as manie wordes The LORD IESVS was neuer left himselfe alone euen when hee was in greatest extreamitie and when the horrours of death were vpon him vpon the Crosse and when hee saide My GOD my GOD why hast thou forsaken mee His GOD had not left him Indeede it is true GOD kept himselfe close for a time and let the nature of man in soule and bodie suffer all extreamitie yet hee ceased not in the meane time to holde vp that nature of man vnder the infinite weight of dolour and wrath or else hee coulde not haue stoode and borne out that burthen to the ende Yet the LORD IESVS was left comfortlesse on the Crosse and a verie Martyre who suffereth for the trueth will haue greater joye in suffering than CHRIST had when he was on the Crosse This is true looke to Paul in the seconde Epistle to Timothie Chap. 4. vers 16. and 17. Howbeit hee was in great trouble yet the LORD gaue him comfort In my defence sayeth hee no man was with mee but all against mee GOD graunt it bee not layde to their charge yet GOD was with mee and strengthened mee and deliuered mee and shall keepe mee till his Kingdome So Paul had a wonderfull comfort when hee was brought before the Tyrant Nero. The cause of this difference is The LORD IESVS was punished for our sinne which he tooke vpon him The Lord Iesus was left comfortlesse because the Lord punished him for our sinnes When the Lord punisheth there is no consolation Will the Lord sende on thee sicknesse crosses afflictions c. to punish thee and take vengeance on thee for sinne thou shalt haue no joye but if hee be chastening thee thou shalt haue joy So the Lord Iesus because he suffered for thy sinne had no consolation for he had the paines of Hell on him and there is no joye in Hell essay it when thou wilt As for the Martyres that which they suffer is no punishment for sinne they suffer for the testimonie of the trueth and they haue a good conscience and the good conscience will bring joye with it for the Martyres will haue a greater joye in extreame affliction and exquisite tormentes than without affliction Now in the last Vers hee concludeth this communing with his Disciples and these are his words These thinges haue J spoken
glorified of the Father in that most humble obedience he gaue to his Father there was neuer a man humbled vnder the Father as he In that obedience he gaue to the Father the mercy loue of the Father shined in the world in his humility The worlâ—e wondered that euer there should haue beene such a mercy and such a loue of God to man And they who wil look to this humble man the Lord Iesus they will wonder that euer there should haue beene such a mercy to man If thou look wel to the obedience and humblenesse of the Son thou shalt wonder at the loue of the Father toward vs who humbled his owne Son not onely as a seruant but to the vile death the accursed death of the Crosse for our cause as Christ himselfe sayth Iohn 3. vers 16. The Father hath so loued the worlde that hee hath giuen his onelie begotten Sonne for it that all that belieue in him should hee saued and none perishe What man will giue his onelie begotten sonne to saue another Nowe this commendeth the loue of God sayeth Paul Rom. 5. vers 8. that when wee were enemies Christ died for vs. Who is hee that will die for his enemie or what father will giue his sonne for him So neither man nor Angel is able to comprehende the thousande parte of the loue which the Father bare to the worlde in humbling his onelie begotten Sonne So the Sonne glorified the Father in his humiliation Then againe when the Sonne was glorified of the Father after he was raised from the dead and ascended to the Heauens and set at the right hand of his Father in that glory incomprehensible the Sonne glorified the Father in that exaltation as hee glorified him before in his humiliation so doeth he in his exaltation and hee glorified the Father in his exaltation by reason that there appeared such a wonderfull power in God in exalting Christ in our nature that was so humbled in the graue And when the worlde saw that the body of the man Iesus Christ was raised vp so gloriously they wondered that euer there should haue beene such a power in GOD All the Angels in Heauen gotte neuer such a Reuelation of the power of GOD as then when the LORD IESVS was raised vp from the death to life Not onelie raised hee a dead man vp from death but hee raised him vp in such a wonderfull highnesse that he made him King ouer all kinges and aboue all Angels and gaue him such a Name that at the Name of Iesus all knees should bow of men and Angels of all things vnder the earth and aboue it and that all tongues should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord of Lords and God of all glory Paul to the Ephesians Chap. 1. vers 20. when hee speaketh of this power hee will not simply call it a power but he saith this According to the effectualnesse of his strong power which hee vttered in Christ when hee raised him from the dead that is the first degree and placed him at his right hand that is the second degree There appeareth the power of God in exalting him in our nature to so high a glory It appeared not so great at the creation as then when hee exalted the Man Iesus Christ Wouldest thou knowe the power of God Looke to that exaltation and thou shalt see it shine in a greater measure than in any thing that euer was wrought Men by nature would see things to rauish them to admiration but I tell thee if thou wouldest wonder at any thing wonder at these things at the humiliation of Iesus Christ and at the exaltation of Iesus Christ the wonderfullest doctrine that euer sounded in the worlde So when thou hearest of the death of Christ and of his exalting wonder for such a wondering shall worke saluation Let vs see all the wonders of the world neuer one of them shall worke life or saluation but that wonder The answere may bee otherwayes The Lord when he was in the world hee glorified the Father in his prophesie and Priesthood hee is that annointed Prophet Priest and King So he being Prophet Priest and King hee glorified the Father in the Earth chiefely in his prophesie hee teached aye in the world he glorified also the Father in his Priesthood he aye suffered neuer a day passed by from his birth vntill his latter breath without some suffering But in his Kingly office hee glorified the Father when hee was exalted and raised vp to the Heauen and set downe at the right hand of that Majesty and that is the office in this houre in the which the Sonne of God glorifieth his Father in sitting there as a King of Heauen and Earth reigning in the middest of his enemies with a great yron rodde battering them in pieces like a potte-shard and that same rodde of yron shall neuer leaue them till it bruise them downe There was neuer a King so glorious as he is at the right hand of the Father and when wee shall see him in that Princely Throne wee shall say wee neuer saw glory in this world to that glory And when the conquesse which the Lord Iesus is making in Heauen and in Earth for the enemies are not yet altogether subdued no the day passeth not but he maketh some conquesse when it shall bee ended I say hee shall render vp that Kingdome into the hands of the Father 1. Cor. 15. vers 24. When death is ouercome and the Deuill for death is not yet ouercome he shal render all into the hands of the Father and there shall not be an enemie but all shall be casten down and all the Chosen shall treade downe the neckes of Emperours Wee marke one thing ere we goe to the next vers for our vse to draw this to our selues This is the protestation which the Lord maketh a little before his death Hee protesteth that aboue all things in Heauen or in Earth hee sought the glory of his Father euen to his owne death Now well is that man who wheÌ„ the hour of death is drawn neare is able to say in any measure Lord I haue glorified thee and howbeit it be with great infirmity Lord I haue honoured thee in my life Yee see olde men will reckon of things past if they haue bene notable instruments in any thing they will talk say I haue done this and that But alas if thou hadst won kingdoms al auails not if thou canst not say Lord I haue sought to glorify thee Away with all the world and with all the felicity of it and all thou hast suffered and done in it if thou canst not say when thou art going out of this world I stroue at the least to glorifie thee And at the least if thou who hast bene a notable sinner canst not say Lord forgiue me I haue bene a sinner and haue not repented in time now I repent craue thee mercy if thou canst not say this wo is
will mourne and groane vnder the burthen as Paul did when he sayth J choose rather to flitte out of this bodie and to goe dwell with the Lord yet the Lord will haue him abyding a while Yea howbeit a man will haue an heauy heart in this his Pilgrimage yet the Lord will haue him to remaine a while here and in the meane time he will aboundantly comfort him and will hold vp his head as he did to Paul when he deliuered him out of the Lyons mouth that is from the bloody Tyrant Nero J am assured sayth he and I haue a confidence that the Lord shall deliuer mee and keepe me to his heauenly Kingdome There is the remedy he wil let thee bide still in the world yet an haire of thine head shall not fall without his will but he will keepe thee to that heauenly Kingdome and when he hath ended his worke with thee he shall make thee to rest in peace and shall bring thee to himselfe in his Kingdome Let no man thinke that so long as the Lord hath any worke adoe with any of his owne that he will let them be taken out of the world It is a vaine speaking when any man is taken out of the Common-wealth or taken away by death If this man had bene liuing this had not bene done and this euill had not come to passe Vnderstand this when the Lord taketh him the Lord hath done his worke with him the Lord knoweth there is no more adoe with him and therefore he taketh him The enemies of the trueth thinke that they get a great victory when a good man is taken out of the world O Fooles is not this the last deliuerance of the godly who glorified God in their mortall bodies For he shall glorifie them in despite of the world they shall triumph ouer the world No the sword the fire c. cannot hinder this their triumph Let wicked men come on their way let them essay and proue on their way they shall find in end that the godly shall triumph and in that Great day they shall see them glorified and then they shall say Thought we not once that these men were vtterly wracked whom now we see so glorious So not only shame and confusion shall light on them for their wickednes but also this shall wonderfully aggreadge their condemnation when they shall see them glorified whom they persecuted in the world Let vs rest in this hope and let vs labour in this world howbeit with hatred and with contempt and we shall get the last remedy the Lord shall take vs to himselfe and we shall cease from all labour and shall be glorified with him in the Heauens thorow Iesus Christ To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour praise and glory for euermore AMEN THE XXIII LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 16.17.18.19.20.21 16 They are not of the world as I am not of the world 17 Sanctifie them with thy trueth thy word is trueth 18 As thou diddest sende mee into the worlde so haue I sent them into the worlde 19 And for their sakes sanctifie J my selfe that they also may bee sanctified through the trueth 20 I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall belieue in mee through their word 21 That they all may bee one as thou O Father art in mee and I in thee euen that they may bee also one in vs that the worlde may belieue that thou hast sent mee THE LORD vsed sundry arguments welbeloued in the Lord Iesus to mooue his Father to keepe and preserue his Disciples and Apostles whom he was to leaue in the world behind him Hitherto we haue nine of them which we recounted the last day Now in the beginning of this Text we haue the tenth and last argument which he vseth in his petition which he maketh That the Father would keepe and preserue his Disciples Shortly to come to the words They are not of the worlde Then would he conclude Therefore Father keepe them What is this Not to be of the world Not to be of the world is To be borne againe to be regenerate and separate from the pollution and wickednesse of this world By what meanes this is done vnto vs we heard the last day to wit by the word of God For as Peter sayth the word of God is that immortall seed of the eternall God who liueth euerlastingly wherewith he begets vs of new again separates vs froÌ„ the world from the ignominie filthinesse and wickednesse wherein the worlde lieth naturallie for the worlde is drowned in filthinesse and wickednesse Then he recommendeth to the Father the estate of them who were separated from the world by a comparison with himselfe As I am not of the worlde so are they not of the world Looke this matter in the seuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes vers 26. Our high Priest is vndefiled that is The Lord Iesus is vndefiled separated from sinners and made higher than the Heauen Indeed it is true it is vnpossible for vs so long as we liue in this mortall body to be altogether separated from sinne and vncleannesse but he was out of measure holy and equall with the Father in glory Yet we are in some measure like vnto him Alwayes ye see in this that this recommendeth our estate that we are like the Sonne of God and this commendeth our separation from the world in that that in this separation from the world and the pollution thereof we are like the Sonne of God Brethren whatsoeuer our estate be so that in it we resemble him howbeit for his sake it be shamefull and ignominious in the sight of the world it is glorious if we be like to him in ignominie we shall be like to him in glory Our shame is neuer so great in the sight of the world if it be for his sake but it is better than all the honour and glory in the world But to leaue this The thing which I vnderstand is this shortly The farther that we be from the world the Lord hath the greater care ouer vs and keepeth vs the better And the nearer that we are to it the lesse is the care of our God ouer vs and we are the worse kept What is the keeping of God else but the drawing of vs out of this world and the seuering of vs from the company of it And when he hath drawne vs out of the world the keeping of vs out of it againe â—hat we meddle not with it and that we may be quite of it and deliuered from it This is not my meaning that any man should draw himselfe to liue as an Heremite and in the Wildernesse separated from the society of men as the Monkes doe This is nothing but the craft of the Deuill that men should draw to Cloysters liuing in Harlotry and in a Den of wickednesse liuing in a vaine speculation feeding their bellies and doing no good to
heareth of the Gospel the soule is the more illuminate and the bodie that will take heede will finde the glorifying of the soule in some measure and then when wee shall see him out of the bodie when we shall blinke on that glorious countenance then both bodie and soule shall bee glorified He draweth the glorie which the Father hath giuen him from the ground Because thou hast loued mee before the foundation of the worlde was laid The glory the Father giueth to the Sonne is of an infinite loue and vnspeakeable Would yee measure the glorie of the Sonne and the greatnesse of it and when it beganne Looke to the loue the Father bare to the Sonne in greatnesse it is infinite thine heart is not capable of the thousand part of that loue It is infinite Who can tell it How can my finite heart tell it If the loue be infinite then the glory is infinite He sayd his Father loued him from all eternitie that loue had neuer a beginning therfore the glory had neuer a beginning as hee sayth himselfe before in the 5. vers of this Chap. Wouldest thou know the end It hath none ende It is not like the loue of man the loue of the Father to the Sonne it is euerlasting and therfore the glory of Iesus Christ it shall neuer haue an end howbeit it was obscured for a time Farder ye may perceiue when he speaketh of his glory he draweth in the loue of the Father to himselfe This is an argument that in speaking of that glory he hath a sense of that infinite loue So the joye and the glory of the Sonne of God wherein standeth it His ioy and glory standeth in that he hath gotten it not with reafe or robbery but with the loue of the Father Wouldest thou possesse any benefit of God with pleasure wouldest thou haue ioy with it What if thou hadst all the world and hadst no pleasure nor ioy in it All gifts are from the Father of Heauen the Father of Iesus Christ Wouldest thou then haue pleasure in the gift Looke that the giuer loue thee striue to feele that hee giueth thee it in loue and then though the gift bee neuer so small yea if it were but a Dinner or a fill of Meat thou shalt haue more ioy in the participation of it if thou take it because he loueth thee than if he wold cast vnto thee a Kingdome if thou feelest not his loue Hee will throwe a Kingdome to a Loune to a wicked man c. as who would throw a bone to a Dogge But as for thee wheÌ„thou gettest any thing looke thou get it not in anger or els it shall neuer doe thee good if thou wouldest haue it to bee vnto thee an ernest-pennie of heauenly things looke that thou findest the loue of the giuer otherwayes esteeme nought of it thou mayest well haue it but it shall be for thy destruction but if thou gettest it of loue he will warne thee he will make the holy Spirit to powre into thine heart a greater sweetnesse of his loue than thou canst finde in the participation of the benefit it selfe Therefore in all benefites thou receiuest euer cast thee to feele that God loueth thee in Iesus Christ who hath died and risen for thee And if thou haue a sense of that loue that Spirit shall worke in thy soule an vnspeakeable ioye which shall bee the earnest-pennie of that eternall ioy which thou shalt get in the Heauens through Iesus Christ To whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour and prayse for euermore AMEN THE XXV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xxvii VERS 25.26 25 O righteous Father the world also hath not knowne thee but I haue knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent mee 26 And J haue declared vnto them thy Name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loued mee may bee in them and J in them WEE haue heard Welbeloued in the LORD IESVS CHRIST that the LORD in the last parte of his Prayer which hee maketh to his Father prayeth not onelie for his Disciples but generallie for the whole faythfull to the ende of the worlde Now in this TEXT which wee haue read hee returneth againe to his Disciples and hee maketh a Prayer especiallie for them because they had most adoe in the worlde and were to bee sent out into the worlde to win others to the Kingdome of Heauen Therefore the Lord most of all remembereth them in his Prayer and most earnestlie recommendeth them to the Father for those whome the Lord hath ordained to win others of all men in the worlde they haue most neede of Prayer because if they bee not vpholden not only are they lost themselues but also in them standeth the losse of the whole worlde and of the whole Congregation of Iesus Christ to whome they are sent Therefore the Lord in all his Prayers and especiallie in this his last Prayer is moste earnest in recommending of them to the Father Now in the last wordes which were immediatelie before these wordes which we haue read the Lord speaketh of that loue which the Father bare to him ere euer the ground-stone or foundation of the worlde was layde And now in this petition that hee maketh for his Disciples hee beseecheth his Father to communicate with them that loue which hee bare vnto him For all graces and of all benâ—fites in the world the loue of God is the greatest and hee or shee that hath gotten the loue of God in their heart and feelâ—th that God loueth them haue the most precious Iewell that euer was Therefore the Lord beseecheth the Father in the ende of this Prayer that the louâ— that hee bare to him hee would communicate it to his Disciples whome he was to leaue behinde him in the worlde The argument that he vseth is taken from that ende both of the knowledge that the Sonne hath of his Father and of that whole obedience that the Sonne gaue to the Father as also of the knowledge that the Disciples had of him the ende of all this is That the Father should loue them And therefore seeing the ende of all was That the loue of the Father should bee in them the Lord beseecheth the Father to loue them in these wordes O righteous Father There is the stile which he giueth him O righteous Father the worlde hath not knowne thee but I have knowne thee and these haue knowne that thou hast sent mee and I haue manifested thy Name vnto them and shall manifest it farther and all to this ende That thy loue may bee in them and I in them There is the whole TEXT Hee stileth him Father a warme word and a louing stile Hee stileth him Righteous Father respecting the petition which hee had in hand It is a verie righteous and just thing which hee seeketh of the Father Therefore hee calleth him Righteous Father Thou wilt graunt that thing