the defect here is not in the power of man but in the glasse for hee was as able to powre out all of it as one drop but the glasse could not receive it Againe God cannot doe any thing that implyes contradiction as to cause a thing to bee and not to bee as the Sunne to shine and not to shine all at one time or a body to be in a place and not to be or to be in divers places at one time The uses are for Instruction and Comfort The first Instruction is that seeing God is Almighty all men must stoope and bow before him in the consideration of his great power as Esa 25. 3. Therfore shall the mighty people give glory unto thee the city of the strong nations shall feare thee Ier. 10. 7. Who would not feare thee O King of nations For to thee appertaineth the dominion for among all the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none like unto thee So Psal 95. 6. Come let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our Maker therefore the great power that is in God must humble us bring us low and make us fall downe before him Secondly that seeing God is Almighty labour to make him thy friend and to be in his favour for nothing is almighty in this world but God wee see how men labour to bee in favour with Noblemen thinking thereby to procure some great matter to themselves but there is none greater than God therefore labour to have his favour This is that a Christian desires above all the things in this world so David Psal 4. 6. Lord saith hee lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and that shall make my heart more glad than they that have their corne and wine and oyle increased So Psal 80. 19. Turne us O Lord God of hostes cause thy face to shine upon us and wee shall be safe In which Psalme it is thrice repeated as the onely desire of a Christian Thirdly that seeing God is Almighty therefore above all things take heed we doe not sinne against and offend him for all the creatures are not able to doe the thousand part of that hurt that God can doe unto thee why then are men commonly so afraid of great men and of the hurt they can doe to them our Saviour tels them whom to feare Luk. 12. 4. saith hee Feare not him that can kill the body and after that is able to doe no more but feare him that is able to destroy both Soule and body and to cast them into hell fire him wee ought to feare therefore the power that is in God should make us afraid to offend him Wee see Iob saith Gods judgements were fearefull to mee and I could not bee delivered from his highnesse so we see the consideration of the power that was in God made Iob stand in awe of him a number of men never stand in awe of God are never afraid of his great power indeed they feare an earthly power are afraid of breaking the Princes lawes and the commandements of men but O that men could bee afraid of the great power that is in God who is able to destroy both soule and body Fourthly seeing God is Almighty therefore in all extremities wee are to rest and relie on the power that is in him for howsoever men runne here and there for helpe yet no man is able to helpe but hee A Christian must beleeve that God is able to helpe by meanes as Noah was saved in a wooden Arke and Moses in an Arke of reed so likewise wee must beleeve that God is able to helpe us without meanes against meanes or beyond meanes and above the meanes so as with the Apostle Paul we may say If God be on our side who can be against us Now the next thing observed was comfort First that seeing God is Almighty therefore our Salvation is in the hands of God if it were in our owne wee might lose it but seeing it is in Gods keeping it is safe as 1 Pet. 1. 5. it is said Wee are kept by the power of God In the time of mans innocency Adam had the keeping of his owne Salvation it was in his owne hands and hee lost it but now it is in Gods keeping and therefore we are sure we shall not lose it seeing his power is Almighty Secondly that seeing God is Almighty therefore wee shall bee safe under his protection so David saith Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my Salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I bee afraid And Psal 23. 4. Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shaddow of death yet I will feare none evill for thou art my God and thou art with mee If God bee our friend wee need not to care who is our foe for Gods power is Almighty Thirdly that seeing Gods power is Almighty therefore all his promises shall bee fulfilled in due time so Gen. 21. 1. Now the Lord visited Sarah as hee had said and the Lord did unto her according as hee had promised And Gen. 18. 14. saith the Angell shall any thing bee hard unto the Lord therefore seeing all Gods promises shall bee performed in due time and nothing is hard for him comfort thy selfe therein for hast thou a promise that God will raise thee out of the grave to glory and happinesse or hast thou any other promise it is most sure it shall be fulfilled in the due time by God Fourthly that seeing God is Almighty therefore we shall not need to doubt or feare but that hee is able to destroy our adversaries power whosoever shall rise against him or us Rev. 18. 8. Therefore shall her plagues come one day death and sorrow and famine and shee shall bee burne with fire for strong is the Lord our God which shall condemne her SERMON VI. ACT. 14. 15. That yee should turne from these vanities unto the living God which made Heaven and earth and the sea and all things that are therein COncerning the Almightinesse of God which is His first Attribute we have already spoken now wee come to the second which is Maker of Heaven and earth I will directly fall upon the point without any repetition onely remember wee that the more power there is in God the more is our true comfort for when a man knowes that all the power that is in God is for his good then the more there is in God the more is his comfort As if a man should see a great deale of armour laid up in the hands of his friend he might thinke it were the better for him he shall be the safer by it but if he see a great deale in the hands of his enemie this may strike a terrour into him so if we can finde that God is our Father and
Prophet of the Church and how he is the Priest hath beene shewed already it remaineth now to shew you how he is a King for it is nothing to admit him to bee the Prophet or to be our Priest unlesse we admit him to be our King Now that he is the King of the Church can no doubt for Psal 2. it is said I have set my King upon the holy hill of Sion and Zech. 9. he sayes O Daughter of Ierusalem behold thy King commeth unto thee c. And Luk. 1. 32. the Angell saith He shall be great and shall be called the sonne of the Sost High and the Lord shall give unto him the throne of his father David and hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome shall bee none end so we may see it is plaine that Christ was a King indeed Christ did refuse to bee a King Ioh. 6. 15. because they would have made him a temporall king there he departed into a Mountaine but when he was before Pilate Ioh. 18. 38â— Pilate asked him if hee were a King Christ telleth him For this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the World that I should beare witnesse to the truth Now there be foure Kingly duties that Christ doth exercise towards his Church First Hee doth gather and draw Subjects to himselfe by his Word and Spirit it is not with the Kingdome of Christ as with the kingdomes of the world for first they be constituted and gathered and then they have a king set over them as we see in David his kingdome was constituted before hee was king but Christ hath not a Subject in his Kingdome but he must draw him for ther is no man that is born a subject of his kingdome but he must draw him out of another kingdome out of the kingdome of the divell to make him a subject in his kingdome so we have it Who hath delivered us from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his deare sonne we see that Christ must draw us out of another kingdome to make us subjects in his Kingdome Iob. 10. 16. Other sheep have I also which are not of this fold them also must I bring This is a peece of his Kingly care to draw aliens and strangers unto himselfe to make them subjects in his Kingdome we see in experience if a goodly Kingdome be set up and great priviledges belong unto it men wilseeke to be subjects of it and yet Christ hath set up a kingdome and there are few that seeke to bee subjects of it notwithstanding all the kingdomes in this world are not like to it in regard of the glory and excellency and of the goodly priviledges that doe belong to it yet what ado hath Christ to make men his subjects he is someitmes drawing of a man twenty or thirty yeares ere he can make him a subject of his Kingdome Here wee are to consider the infinite goodnesse of God to us that when we were under the kingdome of the divell at ods and war with him yea even when wee were at defiance with him then hee was not contented till he had drawne us home to himselfe to be made subjects in his Kingdome here wee may wonder and admire at his goodnesse that when men were at warre and at defiance with him hee laboreth then to draw them unto repentance as Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Thou shalt live even when we be in our sins the Lord sheweth compassion unto us Act. 12. 7. When Peter was in prison and asleepe in his chaines the Angell of the Lord came and smote him on the side and bad him arise and the chaines fell off from his hands as the Angell brought him out of prison into the City and threw the Iron bolts from him so the Lord doth to us wee lie in our sinnes asleepe hee comes and strikes us in our consciences not on our sides brings us through the Iron gate places of danger and never rests till he have brought us into the Citty to make us subjects to his kingdome that were formerly ever subjects to the divels kingdome The second Kingly duty of Christ is That he governs his people by just and equall Lawes Psal 45. 6. he saith Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the Scepter of thy kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse c. And Esai 7. The increase of his government and peace shall have no end he shall sit upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdome to order and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth and for evermore so Christ is our King to governe us by just and equall Lawes this is the Kingly office of Christ therefore every one that will bee a subject to Christs Kingdome must be ruled and governed by his Lawes wee see men can be contented to be subjects to his Kingdome c. yet they will not be governed and guided by his Lawes for they will sweare though Christ saith Sweare not all he hath made a Law that we should not lye yet men will lye he commanded that men should not prophane the Sabbath and many will prophane it but every one that is a subject to Christs Kingdome must live by the Lawes of Christ it is a great fault that men professe themselves to bee Christians and yet will not bee ruled by his Lawes Ioh. 19. 7. The Iewes said they had a Law and by that Law Christ ought to dye Indeed it was a Law of their owne making for there is no Law of God to put an innocent and harmelesse man to death but it was a Law of their owne so wee make a Law to our selves that men may sweare or lye and whatsoever become of our neighbours looke to our selves but it is of our owne devising it is no Law of God the old Souldiers bowed the knee to Christ and yet they spit in his face they set a crowne of thornes on his head and put a reede into his hand so it is with the world still though they call him their father and king yet they will not bee ruled by him but even as it were spit in his face and set a crowne of thornes on his head this is that which the world cannot away with nor brooke that he should bee their king to governe and guide them they can be contented he should dye for them to save them but cannot indure that Christ should rule or raigne over them Luk. 19. assoone as Christ came amongst them they said Wee will not have this man to raigne over us so Psal 2. Let us breake their bonds and cast away their cords they cannot abide to bee tyed to Christ to bee tied to prayer and to holy duties this is such
a bond and such a tye unto them they cannot indure it The third kingly duty is that he turnes whole administrations to the good of the Church Aristotle sheweth the difference betweene a king and a Tyrant the King he raignes for the good of his people the Tyrant for the good of himselfe now it is not for Christs good that he governs and raignes but it is for the good of his Church the eleventh of Esay is nothing but a declaration of the great good that shall come by his government so Psal 72. 12. Hee shall deliver the poore when hee cryeth the needy also and him that hath no helper he shall be mercifull unto the poore and needy and shall preserve the soules of the poore it tends to the good of the Church the whole administration of Christ we see many times things goe contrary to the Church but here is the comfort as long as Christ is the King of it all shall turne to the good thereof We see in a clocke that some wheeles turne crosse and contrary and yet all to one end to make the clock goe so there be many things that fall out contrary and crosse unto us which yet by the secret hand of God are turned to the good of the Church Matth. 8. 23. there is a strange administration shewed Christ gets his Disciples to Sea and when they were in the Ship the winds arose the waues beate into the Ship they were like to bee drowned and Christ was asleepe but when they came to Christ and did awake him he rebuked the waues and the Sea and there was a great calme so Christ doth as it were set his people on a Sea where the winds and the Sea rage and take on Christ all this while being asleepe but when he awakes he drives away all danger from them this is the strange administration of Christs Kingdome therefore let every man labour to be a subject thereof and then fall what will fall come what will come it shall all turne to their good The fourth Kingly duty Christ exerciseth to his Church is That he defends and fights for them so we see Psal 45. 3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh O most mighty and Revel 19. Christ is there described riding on a horse with his garments dipped in blood and armed ready to fight for his Church and to defend it Of this we have two uses First a comfort to the godly that when they bee at peace and rest Christ is warring and fighting for them and when they bee weeping for their sinnes Christ is a fighting for them as Moses saith Exod. 14. Stand still and behold the Salvation of the Lord for he fighteth for you For as a subject fighteth for his country and his Prince so Christ fighteth for us and saith to the faithfull Bee contented stand still I my selfe fight for you Secondly a terror to the wicked for if a man be an enemy against Christ hee fights against him with all his power and laboureth to destroy him the Aegyptians could say Let us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them O that the men of this world would say after that manner Christs fights against us let us fly we cannot prevaile hee will destroy us Let us therefore labour to make friends with him Iehu 2 King 10. 1 2. sent letters to Samaria to this effect Yee have your masters sonnes yee have with you both charets and horses and a defenced city consider therefore which of your Masters sonnes is best and most meete and set him on his fathers throne to fight for your Masters house But they were exceedingly affraid and said behold Two kings could not stand against him yea all the powers that rose up against him hee hath destroyed therefore how shall wee stand so I say how shal we subsist if we fight against Christ we see in Iosua when he had conquered the kings he brings them out and causeth his souldiers and servants to set their feete on the necks of the kings so Christ will not rest till he hath subdued all his enemies and destroyed them It is written Psal 110. 1. The Lord said to my Lord Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole which when hee hath subdued hee will soone like Iosua call out his souldiers and his servants and bid them set their feete on the necks of their enemies therefore let us desire to be subjects to his kingdome The fift point is the fruite and benefit that we have by his Anointing and that is twofold first we participate of the graces of Christ as Act. 11. 26. The Disciples were called first Christians what is that Anointed people they take their name from Christ for by the meanes of Christ they were anointed for he was not anointed for himselfe as a private man but as a head for us all for as the ointment that was powred on the head of Aaron did not rest there but ranne downe on his beard and garments throughout Psal 133. 2. so the ointment that was powred on the head of Christ did not rest on him as the head but it ranne downe to the meanest of the creatures or members therefore there is not the least member that is in Christ but partakes of his anointing Let us labour then to be in Christ and we shall see a derivation of the graces of Christ in us let a man set a glasse under a Still and it will receive the water drop by drop as the Still giveth it forth which though it bee not full presently yet in time it will so let us get into Christ and he will distill all his graces by drops into us although we be not full presently yet in time wee shall this is the first benefit wee have by the Anointing of Christ Secondly we are partakers of the dignity of his Person for hee draweth all his members into the same dignity with him all they participate of his dignity for as hee was a King a Priest and a Prophet so hee makes his people Kings and Priests and Prophets he makes them kings not temporary kings for as Christ saith of himselfe that his kingdome is not of this world so a Christians kingdome is not in this world how then are they said to bee kings To rule and to raigne over their owne lusts and sinnes as Revel 1. 6. And hath made us Kings and Priests to God This is a Kingly power when a man hath his heart at command so as his affections lusts and sinnes beare not sway in him but can command them such a one is a king when he that goeth in silkes and velvets is a vassall and a slave to sinne Now we come to speake of the third title that is that Christ is the Sonne of God Wherein there is two branches of our faith We beleeve that 1. Iesus is the Sonne of God 2. He is the Onely Sonne
of this that this Iesus whom they have despised and condemned shall bee their Iudge at last Now I thought to have passed over the condemnation of Christ and to have spoken little of it but we must doe as the Goldsmith who will not lose the least fine of his gold but he will gather it up so we should not lose the least thing or circumstance touching Christ but should gather all up as in the Law wee read the Lord commanded that the ashes and cinders of the burnt offerings should be gathered up and laid in a cleane place in like manner wee should doe gather up the very ashes and cinders of the sufferings of Christ wherefore our hearts must bee the cleane place to lay them up in that so wee may thinke of the great love of Christ to us and be provoked to love him againe who hath loved us and washed away our sinnes Now Christ was condemned in two courts in the Ecclesiasticall before Annas and Caiphas and in the Temporall before Pilate the one whereof was a forerunner of the other and the reason is because the gouernment was not in the hands of the Iewes who could not put any to death but in the hands of the Romans under whom Pilate was the chiefe governour therefore wee will onely speake of the condemnation of Christ under Pilate where we will observe these foure things 1. How many times Pilate sought to deliver Christ. 2. What was the meanes he used 3. What made him stand so stiffe for Christ. 4. What drew him on to condemne Christ contrary to the light of his judgement First how many times Pilate laboured to cleere Christ before hee condemned him and that appeares to bee foure severall times first when they accused him saying they had found this man perverting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar saying that he is Christ our king Pilate asked him saying Art thou the king of the Iewes unto which he answered and said Thou saiest it then said Pilate to the high Priests and to the people I finde no fault in him indeed it is true that he is a king but his kingdome hee saith is not of this world therefore Caesar neede not to bee afraid of him I see no cause of death in him you say hee is a king what though it is of no worldly kingdome as Caesars is but it is a kingdome of another world therefore Pilate laboured to free Christ at this time Now in the answer of Christ to Pilate we observe two things First that hee doth professe hee is a king this is that same good confession Paul speaketh of 1 Tim. 6. 12. who under Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession therefore seeing Christ is a king wee must so accept of and receive him as to bee ordered by him in our life and conversation and governed by his Lawes because hee is the King of the Church and of all the world it is the sinne of the time that men can be contented to have Christ to bee their Saviour and redeemer to save them by his bloud but they cannot abide to have him to be their King as Luke 19. they say Wee will not have this man to rule over us so men now adayes can be contented to have Christ to teach and to preach to them but they cannot abide to have him to be their King to rule or raigne over them in their life and conversation but for this cause was he borne and for this cause did he die therefore if thou wilt ever raigne with him in the kingdome of glory thou must be ruled by him in the kingdome of Grace Secondly he saith his kingdome is not of this world it doth not consist in the pompe and glory of this world for Christs kingdome is of another world in heaven a kingdome above the clouds of glory and happinesse Which must teach us that seeing Christs kingdome is not of this world they that be subjects of Christ must not looke for especially worldly matters or preferments therefore in sicknesse paines troubles and afflictions we must say my kingdome is not of this world but above the clouds it is an heavenly kingdome a kingdome of glory and happinesse my comfort is laid up there when sicknesse and troubles are come upon a man hee must carry up his thoughts and say though I am sicke poore in distresse and disgrace yet it shall not alwayes be so with me for my kingdome is not of this world If the heire of a great King should be in a strange place and hardly used there he would gather up his thoughts and think with himselfe I am but a stranger here and therfore they use me hardly but when I come home againe into mine owne kingdome then it shall be otherwise with me so when wee bee hardly used here we must consider that wee are strangers and therefore they doe hardly use us but when we come at our Fathers house we shall have more comfort than this world can afford us Againe seeing our kingdome is not of this world but a heavenly kingdome the glory whereof farre exceeds all the transitory things of this life therefore wert thou a subject of the best kingdome of the world know it is nothing unlesse thou be a subject of Christs kingdome it is nothing to bee a citizen of the best citie in the world unlesse thou be a citizen of the kingdome of Christ Therefore labour to be a subject in the kingdome of grace to live by faith to be obedient to Gods Commandements to be patient in troubles and then thou shalt be a subject in the kingdome of glory The Queene of the South came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon which when shee came and heard she thought it a great preferment to be one of his subjects saith shee Happie are thy men happie are these thy servants which stand continually before thee c. Now if it were a happie thing to be a subject in that kingdome much more is it a happie thing to be a subject in the kingdome of Christ therefore let us labour to bee subjects to Christ in the kingdome of grace that wee may be subjects in the kingdome of glroy The second time that Pilate laboured to free Christ and to set him at libertie was after he had sent him to Herod it is said That he called together the high Priests and the rulers of the people and said unto them yee have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people and behold I having examined him before you have found no fault in this man concerning those things whereof ye accuse him no nor yet Herod for I sent you to him and loe nothing worthy of death is done unto him This ye see is the second time that Pilate sought to deliver Christ Which may teach us to be constant in a good course although things doe not succeed
judgments of this world for the world counts him a blessed and a happy man that is rich that hath his barnes full of corne that hath a great deale of Land and money O but indeed he is the blessed and happy man that is in favour with God hath repented of his sinnes made conscience of his wayes and therefore why doe men so dote on this world to rake and gather together a deale of pelfe that will not stand them in stead at that day Then they shall see that the godly man is the blessed and happy man and that a dramme of Religion and of true saving faith is better than all the world besides and will doe them more good If a man were to goe into France and did heare that the coine in this Land would not goe there he would goe and change all his money for the coine of that country so seeing we are to goe into another countrey where our goods lands and money will not goe let us labour to change all that we have for that which will passe at that day let us get repentance faith and sanctified grace and then we shall finde comfort when this whole world will afford us none Now when the godly be pronounced happy and blessed by Christ then all the wicked shall be driven to Hell where they shall goe to paines and torments and this shall make their happinesse the greater Matth. 28. 4 5. when the Angel of God came downe from heaven and appeared in glory the keepers were astonied and became as dead men But the Angel answered and said to the women Bee not afraid for I know that ye seeke Iesus that was cruciâ—â—ed Even so when Christ shall appeare to judge the world they shall be as dead men before him but he shall say to the holy people be not afraid for I know whom ye seeke ye seeke Iesus that was crucified and now him that ye have so long looked for ye shall enjoy as 2 Kings 10. 15. when Iohn was in a great fury and had killed the two Kings yâ—t meeting with 〈◊〉 the Sonne of Rechab he tooke him by the hand and lifts him up into his chariot even so Christ shall doe when he hath driven all the wicked into Hell and meets with a good man he will say You are a good 〈◊〉 you are a blessed man and he wil take him up into his Throne to sit in glory with him And this is the glory that the Saints shall have when all the wicked shall be driven into Hell Thirdly The assignation wherein we are to observe two things 1. What is assigned a Kingdome 2. By what Title by Inheritance First what it is that is assigned it is no lesse than a Kingdome that God hath promised his people as Luk. 12. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome so Dan. 7. 27. it is said and the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome â—â—dee the whole â—eaven shall be given to the holy people of the most high whose Kingdome is everlasting Earthly Kings and Princes though they bâ—stow great gifts on their subjects yet they keepe the Kingdome to themselves meaner matters serve than a Kingdome so wee see although Pharoah did bestow great honor on Ioseph and did advance him yet he kept the Kingdome to himselfe none might sit on the Throne but the King but here is the bounty of Christ that hee bestowes a Kingdome on his servants It was a large proffer that Ahashuerosh made Hester 5. 6. in that hee would give Hester one halfe of his Kingdome but God hath made a larger promise to us not that wee shall have one halfe of his Kingdome but he will give us his whole Kingdome We read Luk. 12. 13. There was a Man that came to Christ and said unto him Master bid my brother divide the inheritance with me but Christ will not divide his Kingdome to his servants but will give it whole and the glory of it to them therefore men must labour to become converted and bee the servants of God because he will bestow a Kingdome on them Most men will labour and toyle in this world for lesse matters than a Kingdome some are scattered all the world over to gather straw and stubble as the children of Israel were and therefore how much more should men labour to repent of their sinnes to get faith in Christ to become one of Gods servants and then he will bestow a Kingdome on them But some man may be ready to say although it be a Kingdome that God will give his people yet it may be so meane as it is not worth the labour of obtaining therefore Christ tels us what a Kingdome it is it is an heavenly Kingdome a Kingdome prepared of God So it is such a Kingdome as is worth all our labour and paines Now this Kingdome is set out to us by three properties 1 It is a Kingdome prepared of God 2 It is prepared for his elect and chosen 3 It was prepared before the foundation of the world First it is a Kingdome prepared of God Therefore it is a most glorious Kingdome Saint Paul saith of it 1 Cor. 2. 9. The things which the eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither came into mans hart is that which God hath prepared for them that love him No tongue is able to expresse nor heart of man to conceive of the glory and excellency of this Kingdome so it is Psal. 31. 19. O how great is thy goodnesse which thou hast layd up for them that feare thee done to them that trust in thee before the Sonnes of Men We may well thinke it is no small matter that all Gods attributes are set aâ—worke to furnish this Kingdome his wisedome power mercy and justice Therefore we may will conceive thereby the excellency and glory of it We see the more magnificent wise and potent that the first founders were of Kingdomes and cities the more famous excellent and noble were the Kingdomes founded by them Therefore it is said Genes 10. 10. of Nimrod that the beginning of his Kingdome was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calâ—eh in the Land of Shinar that is famous and noble cities and so likewise Nabuchadnezzar was a golden head in regard of the other Kings that did follow him Salomon also was a wise King and of great power of whose Kingdome it is said 1 Kings 10. 17. That he gave Silver as stones and Cedars as the wild figtrees that grow abundantly in the plaine that is as the crabtrees amongst us So then the more magnificent wise and potent the first founders were the more excellent were their countries and Kingdomes which granted it must necessarily follow that because no mans wisedome is able to compare with Gods wisedome no power with his power therefore as much as he wisedome of God goes beyond the wisedome of men and his power beyond the
power of men and heaven beyond this earth so far is the glory and excellency of this Kingdome beyond all the Kingdomes of this world Now in foure things the excellencie of this Kingdome goeth beyond all earthly Kingdomes First in regard of the bounds and Limits for all earthly Kingdomes have their bounds and limits set them as it is said of the Kingdome of Salomon that it reached from river to river from the river Nilus to Euphrates And so likewise in Hester it is said of the Kingdome of Ahashuerosh that he raigned from India to Ethiopia over an hundred and seven and twenty Provinces But of this Kingdome there is no bounds or limits assigned for Rev. 21. 7. it is said he that overcommeth shall inherit all things not a little house or a little land or a little Kingdome of this world but hee shall inherit the new heaven and the new earth So there shall bee no bounds nor limits to this Kingdome Secondly it doth excell all other kingdomes in regard of time because the former at length are swallowed up of the latter but this Kingdome shall continue for ever and ever So we read Dan. 2. 44. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed And this Kingdome shall not be given to other people that is it shall not passe from one people to another but it shall continue for ever and ever Thiâ—dly all other Kingdomes have their wants and defects though they may abound with many things we see Salomons Kingdome that did excell all other Kingdomes yet it had wants as 1 King 10. hee had his gold out of Ophir and his horses out of Egypt But in the Kingdome of God there is no want nor defect all things are there that the heart of man can wish as Psal 16. saith the Prophet in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy and at thy right band are pleasures for evermore Fourthly all other Kingdomes have their terrors and feares Cantic 3. 7. Behold the bed which is Salomons Threescore strong men are round about it of the valiant men of Israel they all handle the sword and are expert in war every one both his sword upon his thigh for feare by night So wee see Salomons Kingdome was not without his terrors and feares though it were a peaceable Kingdome But this Kingdome is without all feare for Revel 24. 25. it is said that the gates of this citie shall stand open day and night So they are not afraid of any enemies whatsoever I but seeing this Kingdome excels all the Kingdomes of the World why doe not men respect it and seeke for it more but rather are in love with the Kingdomes of this world I answer by an Opticke Rule because things that bee afar off seeme to bee but small and things that bee nigh seeme great Therefore because men dwell amongst the Kingdomes of this world touch them are far off from this Kingdome therefore they do not respect it so much but let a man change his standing and get within the Clouds and draw neere to God then it will bee great in his eyes and hee shall see it doth excell all the kingdomes of the World The Vses hereof are these following First seeing this kingdome excels all the kingdomes of this world therefore wee have a better estate by Christ and greater honour than ever we lost by Adam For first we lost by him Paradise but by Christ we have Heaven Secondly Adam was lord onely of the Earth and we of heaven Thirdly he had it but on his good behavior we shal have it without condition Fourthly he lived amongst Beasts and Birds and we shall live amongst the Angels Fifthly he had the presence of God but by fits and we shall enjoy it continually Sixthly when hee had all thing he had neede of a help but God shall be all in all to us Therefore as a learned man saith O happy fall of Man that wee have received all this good by This therefore may serve to informe our judgement that we may see that our estate by Christ is better than that which Adam lost Secondly seeing this Kingdome excels all the kingdomes in this World why doe not men seeke and labour after it as Iudg. 18. 9. there were spies sent to discover the land who came and told the people the land was a good land and said to them Why sit you still and why are you slothfull to enter in and possesse the land So seeing all the Patriarkes and Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe are the spies of this good land and they tell us that Heaven is a good land and excels all the kingdomes of this World why doe ye sit still and why are yee slothfull to enter in and to possesse it This is the use that Saint Paul makes of it Heb. 12. 28. Wherefore seeing wee receive a kingdome that cannot be shaken Let us have grace whereby wee may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare therefore seeing it is not a mutable and a changeable kingdome as the best kingdomes are in this World why doe we not labor to please God to spend our time well here attend him that wee may have it and enjoy this kingdome We see what labour and paines men will take for lesse matters than a kingdome for a little foode and rayment how early men rise in the morning and goe late to bed to get in a little corne and men doe well in it much more should wee labour and take paines that we may enjoy this Heavenly Kingdome Thirdly seeing this Kingdome excels all the kingdomes of this world therefore Christians must comfort themselves with the hope of this though they be meane and poore and it may bee have not house or land yet let them comfort themselves I say with the hope of this that God will bestow a kingdome that doth far excell all the kingdoms of this World if they can repent of their sinnes have saith in Christ if they walke with care and conscience before him therefore let every Christian stay himselfe with the hope of this and let us enter into the veile and lay hold with the Anchors of the Soule as Saint Paul saith Heb. 6. 19. To hold fast the hope that is set before us which we have as an Aâ—chor of the Soule both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the veile Saint Basill saith The hope of reward will carry us through any affliction in this World with comfort art thou afraide of shame and reproach for the Gospell sake God will grace thee before men and Angels art thou afraid thou shalt lose thy friends God will bee thy friend art thou affraid thou shalt lose thy goods and thy wealth God will bestow Heaven on thee therefore thinke on the riches that God hath
prepared for thee thus every Christian must comfort himselfe with the hope of Heaven Secondly it is no meane kingdome because it is prepared for his chosen and Elect. The kingdome of this World God hath prepared for the good and the bad both together therefore sometimes wicked kings doe raigne but this kingdome he hath prepared for sanctified and holy people onely as Christ saith Iohn 3. Except a man be borne againe aâ—new â—e cannot enter into the Kingdome of God So this kingdome he hath prepared for the Elect onely Davidâ—aith â—aith Psal 111. 5. He hath given a portion to them that feare him We see this World that God hath made it for good and bad how it is walled in with the sea and covered with the Heavens and the Sunne and Moone and Starres to give us light Birds Fishes and Beasts to feede us with Trees and Plants for the use of us O but it is a speciall portion that hee will bestow on them that feare him therefore when we looke on the kingdomes of this World we may say this is not the kingdome that God hath prepared for his Elect and chosen onely but together with them for his enemies also but there is a glorious Kingdome that God hath prepared onely for his Elect and chosen and therefore why doe we not gather up our hearts and labour for it It is the madnesse of the World to spend all their strength in labouring after toyes and trifles Naboth would not part with his possessions God forbid saith he that I should part with the inheritance of my father or the Lord keepe me from giving the inheritance of my father so we should say when wee meete with temptations in the world to draw us out of this way Lord keepe me from giving the inheritance of my father Esau is condemned by the mouth of all men for that he sold his birthright for a messe of pottage so how worthily shall many a one bee condemned that will sell heaven for a little pleasure and profit for a penny or a halfepenny matter for a little beere or for a draught of strong drinke even for toyes and trifles Thirdly it was prepared for the Elect before the foundation of the world for before we were God loved us and prepared this kingdome for us before we looked on the Sunne he did regard us therefore it was not our merits that was the cause why God did bestow this kingdome on us but his free love in Christ which makes the gift the greater 1 Sam. 25. saith Nabal Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men whom I know not I but heere is the love of God that when wee were strangers and enemies unto him then he prepared heaven for us it is a good saying that a learned man hath when I had no beginning thou thoughtest on mee and when I was nothing thou did'st prepare for mee and therefore it was nothing in my selfe that was the cause of it but it was thy mercy and goodnesse to me Secondly in the Assignation wee considered the title to his Kingdome it is a title of Inheritance therefore it is the best title and tenure and the surest that any man can hold by for so long as a man liveth so long his inheritance holds good if hee could live for ever and ever therefore seeing we shall have it by such a tenure wee may assure our selves we shall have it for ever and ever And here wee may with holy admiration admire Gods mercies to us as 2 Sam. 7. 18. David doth admire Gods kindenesse to him Who am I Lord God and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto and yet was this a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a long time to come so wee may much more admire the goodnesse and the kindnesse of God to us in that he hath prepared such a kingdome for us we may say as David said Lord God who am I and what is my fathers house I am but a poore sinfull man and thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while and wee must stirre up our selves to looke after it and to take heede we be not carried away with the streame of corruption therefore Augustine saith well Lord I am contented to endure any torture or any paine to indure imprisonment or the racke or whipping or burning so that I might bee but in heaven one day in like manner should wee bee contented to endure trouble and paine a little while heere that wee may bee in heaven for ever and ever SERMON L. MATTH 25. 35. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirstie and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke me in c. I Shewed the last day of the blessed and happie estate that all the people of God are called to at the day of Iudgement that they shall have no lesse matters than a kingdome and a kingdome prepared for the elect and that as a peculiar portion from the beginning of the world which should greatly set on foot the desires of a Christian to heare the blessed and the sweet voice of Christ calling them to come and possesse this kingdome Matth. 21. 12. it is said The kingdome of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force So none but violent people can get heaven it is a metaphore taken from a souldier that breakes into a Towne who although he be beaten backe and on the ground yet up againe he gets and never leaves till he enter the towne so they must be valiant men that must enter into heaven though they be driven backe and laid on the ground yet they must up againe and at it and never leave till they have gotten heaven yea although hell lay in our way we should breake thorow it and goe to heaven such a royall kingdome it is furnished with all good things Saint Ierome saith It is a great labour to goe to heaven but the reward is greater for they shall be where all the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himselfe is and where the joy shall bee unspeakable so it is no lesse matter that God will bestow on his people than a kingdome Now we come to the fourth thing observed in the sentence of remuneration the Reason of it For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I thirsted and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me I was naked and yee clothed me I was sicke and yee visited mee I was in prison and yee came unto me Then shall the righteous answer saying Lord when saw wee thee an hungred and athirst or naked and so forth The answer is Insomuch as you have done it to my servants and to my members you have done it to
the Name Iesus is implied Christ to be our Savior No other Iesus but he He is our Iesus and will save us 72. Sinnes of ignorance lesse than sinnes of knowledge 228. * Commission of sinne after illumination dangerous 193. ¶ Impenitence worse than wormewood or â—all to Christ 250. * Importunitie prevailes with wicked men to any thing that is bad 210. * Impossibilities in nature are possibilities in the power of God 109. ¶ Our Heavenly Inheritance comes from God our Father 57. Our title to Heaven is by inheritance 452. Foure testimonies of Christs Innocencie 195. We ought to beware of wronging the Innocent 206. ¶ Iosephs grave in his garden why 279. How Christ makes intercession for us 457. It is finished Christs song of gratulation 250. ¶ Of Iudas's betraying Christ 181. Christ onely the Iudge at last day 394. ¶ Comforts from Christ being our Iudge 394. ¶ Two things required in a Iudge sufficient Knowledge to know all things Power to punish all offendors 391. Of Christs comming to Iudgement 385. The glory of Christs comming to Iudgement consists in His traine Brightnesse of his Body Eminencie of his soveraigne Power 422 There shall be a Iudgement day 386. The day of Iudgement not far off 400. ¶ The Earth the generall place where the last Iudgement shall be 395. * The Time Certaintie Signes of the last Iudgement 399. c. Two signes yet to come of the last Iudgement 403. Reasons of the delay of the day of Iudgement are Gods 1. Patience in waiting for mans redemption 2. Goodnesse to his creatures 3. Care of the Elect. 404. The persons that shall be Iudged 405. The manner of the last Iudgement 409. The sentence of the last Iudgement 443. The last Iudgement shall bee according to good workes 458. ¶ Difference in Iudgement may happen to the Saints but not in affection as in Physitians about a sicke Patient 585. ¶ Gods Children must bee affected with his Iudgements 168. ¶ All that desire to see Christ and to depart in peace must be Iust men 139. †Iustice and Religion must goe together 139. ¶ K NO doores or iron gates can keepe out Christ 339. * Christ hath two keyes 1. To lock the wicked into hel 2. To open heaveÌ„ to the godly 423 Christ a King to Gather Governe Doe good to Defend his Church and People 86. c. The Kingdome of Heaven prepared onely for the Elect. 451. Three properties of the Kingdome of Heaven 448. Gods attributes set aworke to furnish the Kingdome of Heaven 448. ¶ Foure excellencies of the Kingdome of Heaven 449. Gods goodnesse to his people to bring them out of the divels kingdome into Christs 87. †Christs Kingdome not of this world 115. †198. †Some kisse religion at Church as Iudas did Christ and betray it at home 184. †That we shall know one another at the Resurrection 630. Two defects in knowledge or illumination 496. Christ must bee made knowne abroad noâ— conceald in private 127. †Wee must make conscience of knowne truthes 284. * L NO labour too great to come to Christ 129. ¶ If we continue in sinne unrepentant Christ hath lost his labour 151. ¶ A Christian a shining lampe 589. * The Canon Law makes it unlawfull to sell Spirituall things What belongs to another 182. ¶ God sometimes leaves us to see how we love him 332. A man loses the Spirit as leaves fall off a tree 521. †An evill member of the Church compared to a wodden legge 537. * Why Christs legges were broken 266. No lets should binder Christians from comming to Christ 126. †Christs Letter to his Father 74. How a man may be busied for provision for this life 648. †Mans life compared to Weavers warpe 45. ¶ Life twofold of Nature Grace 171. * The time of this life the time of mercie and grace 444. This life compared to a drawbridge ibid. Of life everlasting 648. God promiseth to his People life Naturall in this world Spirituall in the world to come 649. ¶ Two degrees of spirituall life of Grace Glorie 650. †The continuance of life everlasting 669. Life everlasting no blessing but torment to the wicked 648. ¶ Christ by his life aswell as death wrought out our salvation 254. †As the Soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule 649. Sinners deserve not to have the light of the Sunne or Moone to shine on them 167. ¶ Christ Lord of the world in regard of Soveraigntie Service 95. Christ as Lord will dispose all to the good of his Church 96. †Christ our Lord by right of Creation Redemption Donation Voluntarie service 97. The abatements of the graces of the Spirit in a man whereby hee thinkes them lost 518. †Love beares with a number of faults as a mother with her childe 595. The marvellous love of Christ to die and suffer for us 151. * True love to Christ Endures no holding backe Followes Christ in bonds 190. True love to Christ stoopes to the meanest service for his members 276. †Christ loves his enemies much more his friends 226. ¶ Every man like the Iewes preferre their lusts before Christ 203. M IF Christ restored an Eare to Malchus his enemy much more will he be mercifull to his friends 638. ¶ God had rather abate of his Service thaâ— Man wâ—nt his comfort 459. Gods fitting a Man to his Kingdome compared to a Carpenters hewing of timber 500. ¶ The meanenesse of Mans beginning 67. God made Man last of all creatures to Honour him Teach him Further him in the best things 70. †Christ was made Man in regard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. The Manhood of Christ darkned by the Godhead as a candle by the Sunne 477. * The manner of the manifestation of Christs birth 123. Three reasons why Christ was manifested first to the poorer sort 120. ¶ The Virgin Mary more blessed for bearing Christ in her heart than in her wombe 112. †Notes of Mary Magdalens love to Christ are her seeking him Continually when others gave over With teares for losse of him With diligence With complaint for not finding him With publishing her sorrow With proffer of any paines to enjoy him 306. c. Why Mary could not see Christ 310. Why Christ appeares first to Mary 313. ¶ Constant using the meanes a sure way to finde Christ 307. The meanes are to the Spirit as would to the nourishing of a tree 520. †The conscionable use of the meanes gives us comfortable hope of a blessing 538. * The office of a Mediator ceases when Christ renders up his Kingdome 476. †The Mediatorship compared to silke before sore eyes 476. ¶ All men are sinners 610. See Sinne and Sinners Mercie in the midst of wrath 58. Three reasons that no man can merit for another 596. Man can merit nothing 252. ¶ Watchfulnesse requisite to the members of the Church militant 531. ¶ GOD the Author of all Ministery 342. ¶ Christs
promises so it is said of Christ that he died in due time Rom. 5. 6. so the Angell sayes to Zachary Luk. 1. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumbe and not able to speake untill the day that these things shall be performed because thou beleevest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season So that there is a time for the fulfilling of every promise of God Of which observe two Vses First for comfort that seeing there is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of all Gods promises though we have it not to day or to morrow this yeere or the next yet there is a fulnesse of time so David shewes Psal 102. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come this is a stay and a comfort to a Christian that there is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of Gods promises Secondly that seeing there is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of Gods promises we should be contented to tarry that time bee it sooner or later so Habak 2. 3. The vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speake and not lye though it tarry waite for it because it shall surely come it will not tarry therefore seeing there is a fulnesse of time to come we must with patience bee contented to waite that time It is the madnesse of the world not to tarry the time that God hath set them but they must have it straight yea many a time Gods people be overtaken with it as good Moses Exod. 5. 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy Name he hath vexed this people more and yet thou hast not delivered thy people at all hee thought much to tarry a little time But seeing there is a fulnesse of time every one should be contented to tarry till it come Ioh. 2. 4. saith Christ to Mary Woman my time is not yet come she had an houre and Christ had an houre her houre was assoone as there was want but Christs was when there was sensible feeling of the want Secondly this fulnesse of time is still comming so Paul saith here when the fulnesse of time was come it drawes neerer and neerer as a man that is a farre off every step hee takes he drawes neerer and neerer home so theâ—fulnesse of time is comming it stayes not in the day nor in the night but approcheth neerer and neerer as it is Dan. 7. 22. so Paul saith Heb. 10. 25. But let us exhort one another so much the more because yee see the day draweth neere This is a great comfort that the longer wee live here in this world the neerer we are to the accomplishment of Gods promises and as every day doth winde up the threed of this life so wee come so much neerer to our salvation and the comforts and blessings which hee hath prepared for us as Rom. 13. 11. the Apostle saith For now is our salvation neerer than when wee beleeved so in the Gospell it is said by our Saviour When you see these things lift up your heads for your redemption draweth neere and Psalm 37. 13. it is said the wicked man seeth his day comming towards him that is the day of judgement when hee shall bee called to an account for all his sinnes and be punished for them as this must needes be a terror to a wicked man to consider every day this day is comming towards him so also it cannot chuse but bee a great contentation and comfort to the godly to consider that the day of salvation is drawing neere to them the time when they shall bee put in possession of heaven and happinesse Thirdly When the fulnesse of time was come then God sent his Sonne made of a woman this must teach us that we should never looke for the accomplishment of Gods promises till the fulnesse of time There was great expectation and looking for Christ but he came not till the fulnesse of time so wee may expect and looke for comfort ease and for health but wee cannot have it till the fulnesse of time wee see Revel 6. 10 11. The soules of those that lye under the Altar crying Lord how long thou that art holy and just and true dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth And there was answere made them They must rest for a season till the fulnesse of time Exod. 12. 41. the people groaned a long time under their burthen and could not be delivered but when the fulnesse of time came then the very same day they were delivered in the foure hundred and thirty yeere the selfe same day so likewise Psal 105. 19. many meanes it may be was made for Iosephs deliverance yet it could not be untill the time that his word came and then it is said the king sent and loosed him so howsoever wee may seeke for comfort and ease desire health yet we shall not have it till the fulnesse of time come therefore as Iaakob said to Laban when his time was expired Give me my wife for I have served my time so a Christian may say unto God Give me that which thou hast promised me for the time is come Particularly the time is described two wayes 1. In the daies of Herod the king Matth. 2. 2. When Augustus caused all the world to be taxed Luk. 2. First Christ was borne when Herod was king why doth the Evangelist note this unto us first to shew that Christs kingdome is not of this world for Christ was borne when there was another king hee was borne a King for the Wisemen made inquiry Where He is that is borne King of the Iewes And in another place when he was before Pilate hee asked him Whether he were a king and he said for this cause was I borne and for this cause came I into the world c. But it was of another kingdome a spirituall kingdome not of a temporary And what may this teach us that we are not to looke for a worldly and a temporall kingdome but for a spirituall therefore when a Christian is under the crosse hee may say My kingdome is not of this world I looke not for a temporary kingdome but for a kingdome above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Secondly Christ was borne when the estate of the Iewes kingdome was at the lowest ebb for Iaakob prophesied Gen. 49. 10. That the Scepter should not depart from Iuda nor a Lawgiver from betweene his feete till Shilâ— came that is when a stranger was king when as the estate of the Iewes was at the worst This may teach us that the time when Christ comes in the presence of his power and goodnesse is when things bee at the worst so Ioh. 11. when did Christ come when Lazarus was dead foure daies and did stinke then He came so likewise when the Disciples were at sea
in danger of drowning and had laboured all night then did Christ come to them in the fourth watch towards morning so still Christ comes when things be at the worst with us It is not a time for Christ to come till Herod bee king till things bee at the worst and when we have little hope as soone as we are touched with Gods hand we would have ease and helpe but Christs time is not till we be past helpe when things bee at the worst as Iohn 2. Christs time was not till all the wine was spent then it was a time for him to shew his power The second particular time set downe Luke 2. was when Augustus Caesar caused the whole world to be taxed which was first to fulfill a prophesie Dan. 2. 44. it was fore-told that God would set up another kingdome in the daies of the Roman kings that should batter breake and destroy all those kings which kingdome should stand for ever therefore howsoever we be subjects of another kingdome and citizens of other cities yet let us labour to bee citizens of this citie and subjects of this kingdome because this shall batter downe all other kingdomes and shall stand for ever The Thiefe on the crosse hee desired to be a subject of this kingdome saying Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome so let us pray to God to make us subjects of this kingdome since this shall stand when all other kingdomes shall fall Secondly it was to shew that Christ for our sakes came under the taxe and not onely the money taxe but to be taxed in his soule to have the fear full wrath and displeasure of God powred upon him and to die for our sinnes as Esai 53. The chastisements of our peace were upon him As Gen. 22. 6. Abraham tooke the woode of the Asse and laid it on the shoulders of his sonne so we were the Asses that were burthened God was he that tooke it off of us and laid it on the shoulders of his Sonne not only the mony taxe but the taxe of Gods wrath and displeasure And therefore if Christ were taxed for us let us be contented to be taxed for him wee thinke it a great matter to bee taxed in our names or goods yet this is not that by a thousand parts which Christ suffered for us The third thing is the place where Christ was borne in Bethlem so saith the Evangelist It was not in the Royall citie of the kingdome Ierusalem but in a poore towne a place of no great respect neither was hee borne in the bravest house but in an Inne and not in the best roome thereof but in a stable But why was Christ thus basely borne seeing the best place had been too base for him to be borne in if we consider the dignity of his person I answere first to shew the guilt of our sinnes which was upon him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes caught hold on him and stopped him of his glory and turned him into a stable Genesis 4. sinne is compared unto a curst Dog that lyeth at the doore that a man goes no sooner out but he is ready to fly upon him and rende out his throat so wee see that Christ was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes caught hold on him and turned him into a stable therefore hence we may see our guiltinesse to be such that wee are not worthy of the meanest place we live in Secondly to procure a better place for us to bee borne in he was laid in a manger that we might bee laid in our soft beds It is the wantonnesse of the world to despise him because hee was poore but Christ came poore into the world to make us rich to which purpose Saint Bernard saith well Lord saith he I am more beholding to thee for thy poverty in redeeming mee than for all the riches of thy power in creating me Thirdly that wee should bee contented with any estate that God should assigne unto us let us looke on the estate of Christ he was contented to be borne in a stable laid in a cratch O that the world would thinke of their sinnes how that by reason of them they are not worthy of the meanest place they live in and yet we murmure and grudge against it though our estates be better than his was Hee was contented with his estate but wee are not with our estates it is our sinne repent we for it Fourthly the manner of Christs birth and that is to bee considered three waies first after the common manner wee be borne for when things be extraordinary then the holy Ghost doth set them downe in extraordinary termes and when they be common and ordinary then hee doth use ordinary termes to expresse himselfe by Now in this place where the holy Ghost speakes of the birth of Christ he doth use no extraordinary but the same termes that is used in the birth of other of the holy men of God as of Iohn Baptist and the rest therefore Christ was borne after the common and ordinary manner as wee be borne Indeede the conception of Christ was miraculous and extraordinary therefore they say that Christ did passe from his Mother and came through her without opening her wombe but this is a meere fancie of theirs the Scripture is against it for Luk. 2. 23. Every manchilde that first openeth the wombe shall beholy unto the Lord therefore we see the birth of Christ was ordinary and as other children passe away from their mothers so did hee the Fathers are plaine for this as Tertullian saith this is the wombe for whose sake it is said that every one that openeth the wombe shall be holy to the Lord and Saint Ierome the law of first opening the wombe shall be holy to the Lord doth most especially belong to Christ yet ordinarily to others The Papists object against this and say How could His mother be a virgin if Christ were borne after the same manner as others are I answere that the Scripture is plaine that shee was not onely a Virgin when Christ was conceived but so when Christ was borne as Esai 7. A Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne so shee was a Virgin at his birth yea the Schoolemen say that the breaking and opening of her wombe did not take away her virginity Hence wee conclude that Christ was borne after the ordinary manner we be The Vse is first to see the strange humility of Christ that he would be borne as we are and come into the world as we come which this place is not fit to describe but the next childe that comes into the world and that you are at the birth of you may consider it with this short meditation Thus was Christ borne in this weake manner and stepped thus low for my salvation and therefore how justly shall I perish if I
in Matthew the devils inquire of Christ Art thou come to torment us before our time the presence of Christ was a torment to the devils so if thou hast a bad conscience his comming and presence will be a trouble to thee when others shall receive comfort by it it will be a terrour to thee What was the reason the Iewes were troubled at the birth of Christ we see Herod had a bad conscience this troubled him but why were they troubled he was their Saviour and redeemer Zech. 9. 9. it is said Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Ierusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee c. I answere they thought that Christ would not come into his kingdome but it would cost much hardship there would bee much trouble about it therefore rather than they would lose their worldly â—ase or peace they would lose Christ This is the sinne of the world still that if the Gospell hinder their worldly ease or peace they had rather lose Christ and the Gospell than lose their ease and peace so Iohn 11. 47. the Iewes holding a councell together how to kill Christ because they were afraid they should lose their worldly ease say they If we follow this man the Romans will come and take away our kingdome and our nation so that wee may see they had rather lose Christ than lose their worldly ease and peace Of which sinne let us by their example and ruine learne to shunne and beware of the like practise which hath justly brought so long-lasting miserie upon them SERM. XII MATTHEW 2â— 7 8 9. Then Herod when hee had privily called the Wisemen inquired of them diligently what time the Starre appeared And hee sent them to Bethlehem and said Goe and search diligently for the young Childe and when ye have found Him bring mee word againe that I may come and worship Him also When they had heard the King they departed c. THe next thing that I should shew you is how Herod made way out of his trouble for of his trouble you have lately heard First hee calleth the Scribes and Pharisees together to know the place where he should be borne secondly hee inquired of the Wisemen the place and time when he should be borne thirdly when he knew the place and time when Christ should be borne he thought to have killed him so to ease himselfe and make way out of all his trouble but the Lord kept him from touching his person so the wicked and vile men of the world when they be in trouble make way out of it by bad meanes wicked devises coozening and such like The second thing observed was the effects of the inquiry in the Wisemen wherein three things are to be observed 1. The endevour of the Wisemen 2. The blessing of God upon their endevour 3. With what affection they received it First the endevour of the Wisemen when they could not finde Christ at Ierusalem they set themselves upon good advice to seeke him elsewhere they departed from thence though there were two things that might have hindred them 1. Their bad successe 2. The bad example they saw The first thing that might have hindered them was the bad successe they had of their journey for they thought surely to have heard of him at Ierusalem but there was no speech of him yet for all that they departed from thence set themselves with good advice to seeke Christ which may teach us howsoever we finde a bad successe on our holy labours at the first yet to goe on although we cannot finde mortification for our sinnes and such a blessing upon our holy labours as we desire yet let us goe on and set our selves upon good courses still to waite on God till he give us good successe so we see the Church doth Psalm 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on us Shee resolves although thou dost not this day nor the next nor the next yet wee will waite on thee till thou shew mercy in like manner we are exhorted Gal. 6. 9. Let us not be weary of well doing for in due time we shall reape if we faint not Therefore the bad successe wee may have must not hinder us for Cantic 3. 1. when the Church had lost Christ Shee sought him in her bed by night where when She could not finde him she gets her out into the lanes and streets shee inquires of the watchmen and although Shee meetes with many discouragements yet Shee never gives over untill She finde Christ and make him sure to her selfe so must we doe if wee doe not finde good successe on our holy labours nor finde Christ at first let us never give over till we have found him and so make him sure It is the impatience of the world that if they cannot finde a blessing upon them at first they will seeke no farther and it was the fault of the Iewes Hag. 1. when they went to build the Temple and were hindred having no good successe in their labours they gave over but it was their sinne they were reprooved for it so David in the 1 Chron. 13. when hee would have brought the Arke of God to his citie the Lord was angry with Vzzah and killed him therefore David was afraide to bring the Arke of God to his owne city but it was his fault and a great weakenesse therefore it must bee our care although God doe not answere us according as wee desire yet to goe on still and never give over untill wee have found his blessing upon us Gen. 26. 19. It is said that Isaaks servants digged in the vale and found a fountaine of living water it may be they digged a fadome and found none it may bee two fadome it may bee three it may bee six and yet found no water but they digged still at the last they found a fountaine of living water so wee may seeke comfort and it may be we shall not finde it this day nor the next day yet let us not give over but goe on still for at last we shall finde a fountaine of comfort Secondly that which might have hindered them was the bad example they saw for the Scribes and Pharisees were learned men skilfull in the Law of God and yet not one of them turned a foote to seeke Christ nor were mooved and yet for all this these Wisemen departed away to seeke Christ which may teach us not to rest on the bad example of any man let him be what he will for though they seeke not Christ nor stirre one foote to finde him yet let us goe on to finde Christ Wee read Mark 5. 18. the man out of whom the devill was cast when others desired him to depart the country he desired to tarry with him still hee
mans conscience either to make choise of Christ and his graces or else of his owne sins and his delights there is Christ on the one side and all his graces with heaven and happinesse thereunto belonging and on the other hand sinne and all the delights thereof our vile lusts pleasures and profits wee stand in a middle betweene them both and put Christ into the one scale which we have in our hands and our sinnes and lusts into the other then this question is made in the court of every particular mans conscience which of these wilt thou make choise of whether Christ and his Spirit shall live in thee or thy vile sinnes if we answer it is better to live in our whoredomes in our prophannesse it is better to live in our pleasures than to choose Christ what doe wee else but preferre Barabbas before Him wee condemne the Iewes but wee have much more need to condemne our selves they did it in the time of their ignorance and we doe it in the time of our knowledge they did it in the time of Christs humilitie and we now he is in his glory they did it once but we often and therefore if there bee a question come into the court of thy conscience by the hearing of a Sermon whether the spirit of Christ shall dye or thy sinnes when wee make choice of our sinnes and let the spirit of Christ die in us what doe wee but as the Iewes did preferre Barabbas before Christ and therefore every one should labour to take this home to himselfe The fourth Meanes was Flagendo by whipping of Christ this was worst of all and when he had so done he puts on him a purple garment and so brought him forth then Pilate said unto them Behold the man as who should say if there be pity or any mercy in you Looke on the man and let it move you to let him goe now this one word of Pilate Looke on the man is good for every Christian to remember to looke upon the man to looke upon Christ to consider what a deale of paines hee hath suffered what a deale of labour it cost to redeeme us Ecce home Looke upon the man see how his shoulders were whipped his face buffetted his head crowned with thornes how his sides were pierced how his hands and feete were nailed his body racked and tormented all this he hath done to redeeme thy soule therefore doe not thou sell that for a small matter which cost Christ so deere Every morning let us consider this one word of Pilate Behold the man and when wee are about our labours in the fields when we goe to bed looke upon Christ and consider what a deale of paines it cost Christ to redeeme us Secondly we must looke upon Christ and consider what wee are to looke for at the hands of the world if Christ was crowned with a crowne of thornes then wee must not looke to bee crowned with a crowne of gold If he suffered such contumelies and reproaches then wee must not looke to goe scot-free if wee suffer with him wee shall raigne with him if we would partake with him in his glorious crowne then must we with him in some sort be crowned with thornes SERMON XVIII IOHN 19. 5. Behold the Man WE shewed the last day how before Pilate condemned Christ he used foure meanes to deliver Him first by speaking for Him secondly by sending Him to Herod thirdly by associating him with Barabbas fourthly by scourging him that so pitie might have staied the cruelty of the high Priests and Scribes but all would not availe their fury pressed on to his death The uses whereof wee were the last day cut short of by reason of the time therefore now we will prosecute the same The first use is that in looking on Christ wee may see what we are to looke for at the hands of the world for if hee was crowned with a crowne of thornes Then we must not looke to be crowned with a crowne of gold if he was mocked and scoffed at we must not looke to goe free Ecce homo behold the man if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him in glory And therefore doe not thou looke to partake with him in his crowne of glory unlesse thou partake with him in the crown of thornes In the 18. of Iohn Pilate asked Christ if hee was a king he answered hee was but his kingdome was not of this world even so a Christian may say my kingdome is not of this world but I looke for a kingdome above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Secondly a Christian may comfort himselfe in afflictions and troubles by looking on Christ Ecce homo behold the man let thy troubles and thy afflictions be what they will be yet they are not like to Christs he was God we are men he the sonne and wee the servants he pure and holy we wretched and sinfull therefore let thy troubles bee what they will sure it is thou canst not attaine to the halfe of Christs to the crowne of thornes the buffettings mockings and railings upon to his whippings rackings and tormentings therefore if wee looke upon Christs wounds we shall finde ours to be nothing to his thus we must comfort our selves in our afflictions by looking on Christ Thirdly we may comfort our selves in temptations for as a Christian hath his Ecce homo so the devill will have his time for it when we be sick and like to die then he will come and say Ecce homo behold the man thou hast seemed to be a great professor but now death seazeth on thee and thou must be flung into the grave and there consumed to dust and therfore what canst thou doe for thy selfe A man must not be discouraged at this but must have his Ecce homo and send him backe againe to Christ and say behold the man behold Christ hee hath done for me hee hath gone before death hath seazed upon mee he hath beene trampled and trodden under foot of it flung into the grave and risen againe therefore seeing Christ hath gone before me I must not be afraid to follow his steps that he hath stepped in before me The third generall point which we observed in the condemnation of Christ is what it was that made Pilate stand so stiffe for Christ though after he was drawne on to condemne him partly through feare of Casar and partly through the importunitie of the people Now there were five reasons that made him stand so stiffe for Christ 1. His owne conscience 2. The admonition of his wife 3. Christs strange silence 4. His holy Confession and protestation 5. His Commination First his owne conscience for hee was perswaded hee was an innocent man and delivered unto him through the malice of the Iewes therefore hee was loth to condemne him and so sinne against his conscience and yet he was but a heathen man therefore what a pitifull
that did weaken their faith so men must take care of this that they doe not tye their faith to their eyes and fingers that they will beleeve God no longer than they see with their eyes and feele with their fingers for a Christian must beleeve God against sense and reason It is the manner of the world as long as they see with their eyes and feele with their hands as long as they have peace and ease and wealth so long they doe beleeve God but when this failes then their faith failes them I but Christ saith to Thomas Blessed are they which beleeve and see not Thomas did beleeve when he saw but it is a more blessed thing to beleeve and see not and therefore we must rest in the promises of God against sense and reason Now finding this weakenesse of faith in them hee doth labour to re-establish and strengthen them loe here we may see the goodnesse of God that by the weakenesse of their faith hee doth take occasion to strengthen the same It is the great mercy of God that all things shall worke together for the good of them that love him there be a number of things in the world that seeme to work against the people of God but God turnes all of them to the good of his people and of them that love him as we see in a Clocke that some wheeles turne one way and some another yet all serve to make the Clocke go so there be many crosses and contrary things in this world but all serve to one end even to worke for the good of them that love him This may bring comfort to Christians that the weakenesse of their faith the Lord can turne to their good wee see in experience if a man set yong Trees he will pull and shake the Tree as if he would pull it up and all that hee doth is but to settle the Tree the faster even so the Lord doth many times as if hee would overthrow a Christian and yet all is to settle his faith and to make him cleave the faster to God Now Christ doth strengthen the faith of his disciples two wayes 1. By reproving and rebuking of them 2. By informing them First hee reproves and rebukes them that they were slow of heart to beleeve the scriptures which may teach us that if there be a presence of God among us hee will bee reprooving of us whereas many thinke they may goe away with any sinne closely yet if there bee a presence of Christ among us hee will reprove us for our sinnes and for the weakenesse of our faith This is that which Christ speakes in the Gospell of Saint Iohn That when the Spirit of Christ is come into the world he shall reprove the world of sinne c. so if the spirit of Christ be come into our harts he will reprove us for misspending the time for our ignorance for every thing that is amisse but if it bee not so with thee but thou art at peace and securely sleepest in thy sinne then the spirit of Christ is not come into thee for if the spirit of Christ bee come into thee he will reprove thee of thy sinnes and make thee say as the Lâ—pers said We doe not well to tarry here c. O we doe not well to breake the Sabbath to be drunken to speake filthily wee doe not well to lye or to sweare Now what was that he reproves them for That they were slow of heart to beleeve the Scriptures and here wee are to take notice of a corruption that is in us that we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures and the Gospel but quicke to beleeve a foolish tale or a lye or a false report of our neighbours from this the Lord hath much adoe to stay us although hee hath strictly charged us to enquire the truth of it Deut. 17. 4. where hee saith If it bee told thee and thou hast heard it then shalt thou enquire diligently if it bee true and the thing certain before we speake of it If there be a false report of a good Minister or of a good Christian that wee can beleeve presently but we are slow to beleeve the Scripture or any good thing we are tardy here is our fault and this corruption hath beene in our nature ever since the fall of Man for we see Genes 3. The Lord told Adam That in the day that he did eate of the fruit he should dye the death but the divell came and told him Ye shall not dye at all cleane contrary and yet we see that they were more ready to beleeve the divell than God Will yee see a comparison to explaine it the better If an earthly king should say to us If yee will bee contented to doe mee some service a few dayes and to attend mee I will afterwards advance you and bestow great honour upon you what man is there that would not rest himselfe upon the kings promise In like manner God hath said unto us Attend me in the duties of holinesse and doe mee service a few dayes whilest thou livest heere and afterward I will make you an Heire of the Kingdome of Heaven and thou shalt bee neere unto mee and yet wee will not beleeve God Now there bee two uses to bee made of this Doctrine which shall bee declared unto you God assisting the next time of our meeting SERMON XXXIIII LVKE 24. 26 27. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe WEe heard the last day how Christ did labour to strengthen the weake faith of his Disciples when they were going to Emmaus and therefore let us travell with them and over-heare them that so that which did serve to strengthen them in their faith may serve to strengthen us in ours If a man have a legge or an arme out of joynt he cannot bee at rest untill it be set againe even so when we feele weakenesse of faith let us not bee at rest till wee have gotten the same strength of faith that wee had before therefore let us creepe into the company of Christ and goe as farre as Emmaus with him If a man hang on the top of an high Tower by the hand and there bee a number of sharpe stones under him that if hee fall it will burst him in pieces how carefull will he be to strengthen that hand lest he fall downe so faith is the hand we lay hold on God by and wee hang as it were at the top of an high Tower whence if wee fall wee are like to fall to hell how carefull therefore should we bee to strengthen that hand Now two wayes I told you Christ doth labour to strengthen their faith 1. By reproving of them 2. By informing of them Of the first wee spake the last day and therefore are
Dragon that old Serpent which is the Divell and Satan and he bound him a thousand yeeres and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and he shut him up and sealed the doore upon him c. Thus we see it is Christ that is this Angell that hath the key of Hell in his hand to shut up the Divell and the damned and the wicked into Hell so that there shall not be left a Devill nor a wicked man nor any of the damned to annoy or hurt any good man So Matth. 15. 41. The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquitie Now in this world in the most sanctified Church and best reformed there is a number of disorders and corruptions that doth trouble toyle and offend the People of God but at the last day every thing that offends shall bee taken away the Divell the Damned and Wicked men shall bee shut into Hell so that a dogge as it were shall not so much as moove his tongue at one of Gods People Secondly the wicked shall not onely bee shut into Hell but Christ hath a key also to open Heaven and to let in the godly as Iohn 14. 3. He saith to his Disciples I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there may you be also So when he hath locked up the wicked and ungodly in Hell then hee will make a way to Heaven and open it to his Servants as 2 Kings 10. 15. When Iehu had slaine Ahabs seventie sons and Ahaziahs brethren and the blood was yet warme upon his hands meeting with a good man Iehonadah the sonne of Rechab He blessed him and said unto him Is thine heart upright as mine is towards thine and Iehonadab answered It is If it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and tooke him into his Chariot so the Lord will doe when hee hath chased all the wicked to Hell and the blood of them is yet warme as it were on his hands meeting with a good man he will say You are a good man your heart is upright then he will take him up into his Chariot that is into Heaven so God will honour all his servants Thus a Thes 1. 10. it is said That he will come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvellous in all them that beleeve Hee will not account himselfe glorified till hee hath glorified his Saints therefore he will not be onely glorious in himselfe but he will also make his Saints glorious The Uses are First seeing Christ communicates his glory to his Saints therefore they should comfort themselves with the hope of this that one day there will bee a time of glory howsoever they are kept downe here in this world with many crosses and afflictions so Col. 3. 3. it is said Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God there is a life in a Christian and that a glorious one too though the world cannot see it because it is hid in Christ yet it is truely in him as the beauty and life of the flower lieth hid in the roote all the winter-time so the life of a Christian and his glory lies hid in Christ but when he commeth then he shall be perspicuous then his glory shal appeare When Christ came before Pilate he asked him if he were a King sure he thought him but a poor king Christ answeres My kingdome is not of this world so a Christian may say in all his disgraces my kingdome is not of this world but is above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Chrysostome saith in this world is the place of conflict and combate therefore we must looke for nothing but blowes wounds and blood but when the combate is at an end then we may looke for crownes and rewards therefore wee may comfort our selves in the hope of this that one day we shall have glory Secondly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints all true Christians have good cause to long for his comming the wicked care not how long it bee ere hee come the longer hee tarries they thinke it the better O but the people of God they care not how soone he come because it is the better for them for when he comes they shall have glory therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. that the creatures groane and the Saints groane desiring and longing when this time of glory will be as Iob 14. 14. saith he If a man dye shall he rise againe all the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my change come c. So Christians looke and waite for a change from mortality to immortality from an estate of humility to an estate of glory therefore they desire and long for Christs comming as Sisera's mother did waite and long for Sisera Iudg. 5. 28. where it is said The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and shee did cry out at the latise why is his chariot so long a comming and why tarrieth the wheeles of his chariot so the people of God long for Christs comming and when they looke out of their doores and windowes they may say O when will Christ come in his glory that wee may be glorified with him Thirdly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints and to his people doe thou labour to be one of them and it will be a comfortable day to thee therefore David saith Psal. 119. ult I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgot thy Commandements as if he should say I have gone astray I have beene a sinner but Lord seeke me and make me one of thy servants so a Christian may say with the holy father Bernard O Lord Iesus make me one of thy servants and receive mee and as thou tookest away the sinnes of thy people so doe thou now take away mine and Lord breede conscience and care in me that when thou glorifiest thy Saints I may be glorified with them there be many masters strive for my service as pride vaine-glory and covetousnesse but I strive against them all and I renounce them and bid farewell to them for I will bestow my love only on thee Christ shall be my king he shall be my Lord and Master and so when he comes in glory I shall have glory with him SERMON XLVII MATTHEW 24. 30 31. And they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory And Hee shall send His Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together His Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other WEE heard the last day that Christ shall come in glory to judge the whole world before hee came in the estate
wicked be in that they shall desire the hils to fall upon them and to cover them from the presence of Christ as it is Revel 6. and what a griefe will it be to them to see the godly goe to heaven into joy and happinesse when they must be tormented in hell Philosophers say That no Element is weightie in his owne place as let a man be in the bottome of the Sea and have the Sea on his backe hee shall not feele the weight of it but take him out of the Sea and put a pailefull or a bucketfull of water on his head and then he shall see how weightie it is so this world being the proper place of sinne men feele not the weight of it because it is in his owne Element but bring it to the judgement barre of God and then they shall feele the weight and burthen of it SERMON XLIX MATTHEVV 25. 34. Then shall the King say unto then on his right-hand Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world IT is a busie time and I hope ye have learned that all businesse must yeeld to the Lords businesse Exod. 34. 31. the Lord saith Six dayes shalt thou worke and in the seventh day thou shalt rest both in earing-time and in the harvest thou shalt rest It is a worthy example we have 1 Sam. 6. 13. where it is said And the men of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat-harvest in the valley and they lifted up their eyes and saw the Arke and rejoyced to see it but afterwards they did fling downe their sickles left their labours and went and offered burnt offerings So we must doe at these times when the Sabbath commeth lay aside our labours and performe the dutie that God requireth at our hands and thus much to prepare us Now concerning the last Iudgement we are come to the last point the last day we spake of the Conviction of the offenders that all the wicked shall be convicted of all their sinnes that they have committed and then shall come the sentence of the Iudge which will be most joyfull and welcome to the godly and dolefull heavie and unwelcome to the wicked In the sentence of the Iudge we observe three things 1. The Quality of the sentence 2. The Order of the sentence 3. The Sentence it selfe First The qualitie of the Sentence that it is the finall and last sentence because it shall be the last which shall be pronounced therefore it shall be unrevocable for looke how the sentence passeth so we shal be found in weale or in woe for ever and ever never to be altered and changed As long as we live here we may finde mercie and favour with God if we repent our sinnes lay hold on Christ by faith and be brought into an estate of grace yea and although it be but the day before this judgement come but if once the sentence be passed all mercy is excluded and the gates of heaven and Hell shall be shut up and every man shall be so found in weale or woe for ever ever to abide and continue We see the five foolish virgins came knocked at the gate but because they came too late they were excluded so likewise Esau sought the blessing and that with teares as Heb. 13. and yet went without it because he sought it not in time this time of life is the time of Mercy and grace therefore we must seeke it in this world for it will be too late when once the sentence of the judge shall be pronounced It is a fit resemblance as long as a man hath a stone in his hand to fling he may incline the motions thereof this way and that way but if it be once throwne then he cannot so as long as we live here we may dispose of our selves this way or that way but if once the finall sentence of the Iudge be out it cannot be revoked or altered therefore it is good to repent as soone as may be and to lay hold on Gods mercy offered in Christ One compares the time of life to a drawbridge if a man should make a goodly house with gardens and walkes and all things needfull for it and make a drawbridge to it and this should be the order of the house that when the drawbridge were downe every man that would come might dwell there but if they did attend their profit and pleasure till the bridge were drawen up that there were no way to enter in they should be excluded so men may enter into the Kingdome of God in this life as long as the drawbridge is downe that is as long as there is life but if the drawbridge be once taken up that is if this life be once ended and the sentence pronounced it will bee too late to enter all such loyterers shall be excluded and shut out Therefore while we live heere it must be our wisedome to repent of our Sinnes to seeke for Gods favor in Christ for if once the finall and last sentence be pronounced it can never be altered and changed this is the qualitie of the sentence Secondly The Order of the Sentence For the order of the sentence it is first pronounced to the just Come yee blessed and then to the wicked goe ye cursed Divers Divines doe diversly conceive of this some thinke that the reason why the sentence is pronounced first to the just is because the Lord is more inclined to mercy than to judgment as Matth. 3. he will gather his corne into his barne and then he will burne the chaffe with unquenchable fire So because that the Lord is more inclined to workes of mercy which is most agreeable to his nature than to workes of justice this some thinke to be the reason why sentence is pronounced to the godly first There be others thinke that the Reason why the sentence is pronounced to the godly first is that it might be for the more comfort of the just because they should not be terrified with the terrible and dreadfull sentence pronounced against the wicked when he shall chase and drive them all into Hell So it is out of the tendernesse of Christ that sentence is given to the godly first But I take it that this order of the sentence is because the godly shall judge the World they shall be assessors with him at the day of judgment and sit in judgment with him which is the reason why the sentence is pronounced to the godly first Now that the Saints shall judge the World it is plaineby Scripture as Matth. 19. Christ saith that they which follow him in the regeneration shall sit on twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel so also 1 Corinth 6. 2. saith the Apostle doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and againe in the 3 vers know ye not that we
gnashing of teeth when ye shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of God and you your selves shut out of doores That is ye shall see holy and good people goe to Heaven when you shall goe to Hell they shall goe to possesse eternall glory and you to possesse eternall shame so the terrour shall be the greater that wee shall bee excluded and shut out when others shall be admitted into his presence I but is it such a punishment to bee cast out of Gods presence Indeed to a godly and a good man it is for his delight joy and comfort is to be with Christ As we see Psal 80. ult Shew us thy face and we shall be saved O but a wicked man he doth not desire the presence of God I answere there is a two-fold presence of Christ there is a presence of God in grace and a presence of God in glory now wicked men although they doe not desire to be present with God in grace as a number of men doe not desire to be in the house of God or to be neere him in his ordinances preaching prayer and administration of the Sacraments like the Gargesiâ—es when they lost their swine they would have Christ depart from them and in Iob we reade that the wicked say to God Away from us therfore the wicked care not for this presence of God I but though they care not for the presence of God in grace yet there is never a wicked man but would have the presence of God in glory they wish and long for this as Gen. 4. Cain cared not for the presence of God in grace for it is said He went out from the presence of God but he desired the presence of God in goodnesse he would have God to protect him hee would have a marke set on him so likewise Balaam he cared not for the presence of God in grace but he desired the presence of God in glory he desired that he might die the death of the righteous to have that glory and comfort that they have but he cared not to lead their life So Augustine saith Every man is glad of life but every man is not glad of the meanes that leads to life therefore because they doe not desire the presence of God in grace they shall want the presence of God in glory which they so much desire and long for Secondly they shall not onely be shut out of heaven but they shall be excluded and shut out of this earth also for Chrest shall come to judge this world here on earth as Iob 19. 25. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the last on the earth Christ will call all the godly unto him but will drive all the wicked â—nto hell they shall not onely be debarred and shut out of heaven but shall also be expelled and driven out of this earth so that they shall not so much as gather up the crummes that Gods people leave behinde them howsoever that the perfection of the glory of the Saints shall be in heaven yet here in this world they have their inchoation and beginning of glory but the wicked shall not be left here to gather up the crummes that are left behinde them when they goe to heaven O it were well with them if they might live here and tarry on this earth but they shall nor enjoy the least commoditie that Gods people leave behinde them We reade Gen. 3. 23. that Adam was cast out of Paradise to till the earth from whence he was taken this was a grievous and great punishment yet if the wicked of this world were but cast into the field to till the earth from whence they were taken or if they might be put into a cave a dungeon a prison or any strait place it were well with them but they shall not remaine in any part of the earth but shall be driven all into hell this is a torment of all torments not onely to be expelled out of the glorious presence of Christ but also to be driven out of this earth into hell The use is seeing all the wicked of the world shall be banished out of the presence of Christ this must teach us to love the presence of Christ in grace for it is a sure thing if wee love not the presence of Christ in grace we shall never enjoy his presence in glory if we love Gods ordinances love to be at the preaching of the Word love the Sacraments love prayer and the societie of Gods people this is a comfortable testimony that we shall live in the kingdome of glory we have heard out of Hester 2. that Abashuerosh had two houses there was the house of sweet perfume and the Kings house and this was the order of them that first the Virgins were perfumed and trimmed in the house of sweet odors and then were brought home to the Kings house so the Lord hath two houses the house of grace and the house of glory whereof this is the order in the first wee must be perfumed with all the sweet graces of the Spirit so when wee have lived here a time in the Kingdome of grace we may be taken into the second house of the kingdome of glory Secondly seeing the wicked shall be cast out of Gods presence at the day of Iudgement we must be carefull to cast away our sinnes or else our sinnes will cast us out of Gods presence It is a good saying of one O man destroy thy sinnes or thy sinnes will destroy thee If a man had a servant that would rob him at night of all hee had if hee knew it hee would be sure to cast him out of doores before night came such a servant Sinne is that it will rob us of all when night commeth when the day of death and when the judgement is come it will cause us to be cast out of heaven out of the presence of Christ and out of this earth and will not leave us a bit of bread nor a draught of drinke to comfort us therefore let us before the day of death and judgement come cast sinne out of the doores for it will not only take away Christ and heaven from us but all our earthly comfort also The second punishment or paine is Malediction or Gods Curse So they shall not only be cast from the presence of Christ but they shal goe away with the curse of God upon them even the sweet mouth of Christ that shall blesse all the godly it shall curse all the vile and wicked people of the world swearers lyars drunkards and bad livers c. therefore consider what an heavie thing it is to goe away with Christs curse upon them 2 King 2. 24 we reade that Elisha cursed the children that mocked him and there came two Beares out of the Forrest and devoured them O but it is a more heavie
graces and so fill us Fourthly by mortifying our lusts and sinnes as Rom. 8. 13. If yee mortifie the deedes of the body by the Spirit yee shall live for the Spirit workes on the flesh for the wasting of sinne and corruption as Rom. 7. the Apostle Paul complaineth being in the estate of grace of his corruption when hee had the Spirit of God to worke on his rebellion for the wasting and consuming of sinne therefore men may much more complaine being in the estate of nature when they want the Holy Ghost to worke on their hearts for the wasting and consuming of sinne and indeed no marvell though they are carried away with the world and cannot bee brought to performe good dueties seeing sinne hath such power and rule in their hearts We see Ioshua 10. that hee shut up 5. Kings in a cave that they should not stir nor escape till hee had time to kill them so the Holy Ghost getteth our sinnes into a cave as it were and roules a great stone upon it till he take away all the power of sinne and kill and subdue it Fifthly by renewing our hearts and mindes changing and altering of them whereas before they were carnall now they are spirituall whereas they were worldly before now they are heavenly and holily affected And therefore when wee feele this change and alteration sure it is the Holy Ghost that works it wee read Math. 8. how Christ saith to the Centurion when I come I will heale thy servant I will not bee idle and doe nothing But when I come I will heale him so when the Holy Ghost commeth into a man hee will not bee idle and doe nothing but will heale our sinnes and give us power and strength against them in some measure Sixtly by stirring up holy motions in us as I shewed you even now out of Ezek. 37. in the example of the dead bones And now will declare it by this similitude If a man could put vegetative life into a stone what would the stone doe It would grow as a plant doth if a man could put sensitive life into a stone what would the stone doe it would stir move as a worme doth if we could put a reasonable soule what would the stone doe it would talke as a man doth and discourse of matters of the world but if a man could put the Spirit of God and the Spirit of grace into a stone what would the stone doe it would speake of God and of Christ and of heaven and happinesse this is our estate and condition as long as there is nothing but the life of Reason we talke of nothing but the world and worldly things but if once the Spirit of God and of grace bee in us then wee talke of heaven and heavenly things Therefore if a man hath the Spirit of grace it stirres him up to holy motions and desires These bee the six meanes by which the Holy Ghost doth worke holinesse in us Now there bee many profitable and fruitefull questions to bee mooved concerning the Holy Ghost 1. How wee may come by the Holy Ghost 2. In what measure hee is given 3. How a man may know whether hee have the Holy Ghost or no 4. What bee the benefits wee have by him 5. Whether a man may lose the Holy Ghost or no 6. How wee may retaine and keepe him First how a man may come by the Holy Ghost But before wee come to speake of this wee must make answer to another question there hath been great disputing amongst the Schoolemen whether a man receiveth the Holy Ghost or onely the giftes and graces of the Holy Ghost To this I answer this question need bee no question seeing wee receive the Holy Ghost really and actually The Scripture is cleere for it as in the 1 Cor. 6. 19. know yee not that your bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost this is the exceeding great goodnesse of God to give the Holy Ghost to us to be a roote and a fountaine of holinesse in us If one give us a fruit tree it is better than to give us a little because the fruit is but for the present but the tree is for a long continuance so it is a greater goodnesse of God to give us the Holy Ghost than to give us the giftes and graces of his Spirits But the question in hand is how a man may come by the Holy Ghost here wee are to consider two things 1. By a remoovall of the false way 2. By taking the right way First by a removall of the false meanes for Acts 8. 18. Simon Magus would have bought the Holy Ghost with money but Peter tels him that his money and hee shall perish Therefore it is meer madnes of any man to thinke that they may attaine to have the Holy Ghost or any gift or grace for money we see in earthly Kingdomes that there be some things that a man may buy because hee may give the full value and true price for them and that in exact Iustice as foode and raiment and there bee some things that a man cannot buy because they bee unestimably good and unvaluable as to buy a mans life and the Kings Crowne because no man can give the worth of these so it is in the Kingdome of God all the graces and giftes of the Holy Ghost no man can buy because they cannot give to the worth of them for they bee unestimable and unvaluable things as 1 Pet. 1. 7. It is said of faith that it is more precious than gold so Psal 19. 10. hee shewes that the word is more to bee desired than fine gold even so the graces and giftes of Gods Spirit are above price or value all the wealth in the world cannot procure one of them therefore it is good for a Christian to thinke before hand that when hee lyes on his sicke bed hee cannot buy faith or repentance or any gift or grace with money for they are above value and price hence wee may conclude this is not the meanes to come by the Holy Ghost Secondly by taking the right way for the true meanes that God hath appointed for a man to come by the holy Ghost are three First by the hearing of the word preached which is the ordinary meanes wherby the Holy Ghost is conveyed into men therefore S. Paul demands Galath 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the preaching of faith So Acts 10 44. when Peter preached the Holy Ghost fell on those that heard the word So that preaching is the ordinary meanes whereby God conveyes the Holy Ghost to us therefore it is good for men to attend preaching and to be hearers because it is one of the meanes whereby we may come by the Holy Ghost if a man would have good plants and herbs in his Garden then hee must labor
a time when divers men were excluded from the Congregation of the Lord as Num. 22. the Ammonites the Moabites because they did not meete the people of the Lord with bread and water but now it hath pleased God to take in all sorts of men so that no man is excluded unlesse hee will exclude himselfe as it is said Esai 65. 25. That the Wolfe and the Lambe shall feed together and the Lion shall eate straw like the Bullock and to the Serpent dust shall bee his meat the sense is that in the time of the Gospell the Lord will alter the naughtinesse of mens hearts and bring them to joine in holy sweet communion one with another but if they would not attend him but desire rather to live in their sinnes still than they should live in Gods curse the Serpent shall eate dust hence wee are taught seeing God doth exclude no man wee must take heede wee doe not exclude our selves If a man comes to a Kings Court in meane apparell and have no good attendance he can have small hope of accesse to the King oh but let him come to Gods court though hee come never so meanely and basely apparelled if hee bee well attended with faith and the graces of his Spirit then he shall have accesse into the presence Chamber of Almightie God therefore seeing no man is excluded doe not thou exclude thy selfe If a gift grant or pardon should come from the King to certaine persons that would claime it there is no man that would exclude himselfe and say it doth not belong to mee but every man would labour to have his part in it so the Lord hath given a gift and a grant to bestow pardon of sinnes the love and favour of God heaven and happinesse to all that will repent and beleeve in Christ Therefore no man must exclude himselfe and say it doth not belong to mee but labour to have his part in it Thus the Church is Catholike in regard of the persons Thirdly the Church of God is Catholike in regard of time for it hath beene in all ages and so shall continue to the end of the world it began in Adams time and shall continue to the last man that shall live it hath bin in all times and it shall continue so long as the world doth last For this world was made for the good of the Church therefore God lets it stand for their sakes and as soone as the people of God be gathered home then this world shall have an end as the Prophet David hath it Psal 48. O God according to thy Name so is thy praise unto the worlds end so also Psal 89. thy seed will I establish for ever and set up thy Throne from generation to generation and Dan. 2. 44. it is said And in the dayes of those Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdome that shall not be destroyed a Kingdome that shall not bee given to another but that shall breake and destroy all those Kingdomes and it shall stand for ever Here wee may see the honour that God brings us to to bee of that Communion and fellowship that all the Saints are of to bee of that Church that Adam Abel Henoch Noah Abraham Moses and all the rest of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and Christ himselfe were of and all the holy men that have lived as Ephes 1. 11. saith the Apostle Now therefore yee are no more strangers nor forrenners but citizens with the Saints and of the household of God and are builded upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone so Heb. 12. 17. Saint Paul saith for yee are not come to the mount that might bee touched c. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the citie of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the congregation of the first borne whose names are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all men and to the Spirits of just and perfect men So then wee see that this is the honour that God hath brought us to to bee of the same Church and company that the Prophets Apostles holy men and Christ himselfe were of Therefore to apply it first let us not lose the graces of God like a slight huswife that keepes the emptie caske and boxe and loseth the Iewell but let us labour to partake of the same graces with them seeing wee are of the same Church that they bee of Secondly seeing the Church hath beene in all times past and shall continue to the worlds end therefore it may bee our comfort in all the troubles that doe befall it when wee see men conspire against and labour to destroy it yet notwithstanding all that they can doe it shall stand and continue to the worlds end It hath bin in all times and it shall continue for ever as Psal 48. 8. David saith As wee have heard so have wee seene in the citie of the Lord of Hosts in the citie of our God God will establish it for ever Therefore seeing hee hath established the Church it shall stand though all the world were set against it Augustine saith well The enemies of the Church though they come and gather themselves together to destroy and roote it out yet this is the comfort Christ will keepe it hee hath a sword to defend it he will tye up the devill and shut up hell that they shall not trouble the Church therefore though wee doe not see the Church visbile it not being patent and openly seene but sometime hidden as it was in the time of Elias from the fury of the world yee we must beleeve that the Church of God is Catholike or Universall that it hath beene in all times and it shall continue to the worlds end Now the Papists adde somewhat unto this Article and say that wee must beleeve in the Catholike Romish Church but this is first absurd in Religion and secondly absurd in Reason it is absurd in Religion because the Romish Church must fall in the time of Antichrist as the Scripture sheweth and as the Papists themselves say but the true Catholike Church that shall ever continue therefore it is absurd in religion to beleeve in the Catholike Romish Church Secondly it is absurd in Reason because that Rome when it was at the best could but be a part of the Church and a part cannot bee the whole Church as Scholars know therefore it is absurd in Reason But they say that the name of Catholike doth properly belong to them to this I answer as Christ did to some that lived in the Church Revel 2. 4. that said they were Iewes but saith Christ they are the Synagogue of Sathan so I may say of them though they terme themselves to be true Catholikes yet they be but a conspiracie against Christ Now by three reasons I
written of Gods people to whom he will shew a speciall favour Though shee follow after her lovers yet shall she not come at them though shee seeke them yet shall she not finde them then shall she say I will goe and returne to my first husband for at that time was I better than now in like manner when we are gone from God and fall from him by our sinnes this will be a great meanes to recover that we may returne againe when wee consider it was better with us when wee walked with God and made conscience of our wayes than now when wee in vaine labour in sinfull vanity so that then we returne when wee see wee can finde no where better entertainment than in the house of God Secondly it is not unprofitable for a man to consider what great blessings and benefits God bestowes particularly on the Church that the wicked of the world may see what goodly things they have lost and what rich blessings and benefits God hath given and granted out to the Church to such as be poore sinners and strangers that the consideration of these blessings and benefits may provoke them to come home to God and to have communion with the people of God that so they may have their parts in these blessings and benefits as Hest 3. 17. We may see that many of the land became Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them But what is the feare of an earthly King to the feare of God and what are the priviledges of an earthly kingdome to those blessings and benefits that God bestowes on his people therefore if such a small matter provoked them to be Iewes how much more should such great matters provoke the men of this world to become Christians and to be of the societie of Gods people Now there be two sorts of blessings given unto the Church some whereof appertaine to this life some to the life to come those that he hath given us to enjoy in this life are the cōmunion of Saints and the forgivenesse of sins those that appertaine to the life to come are the resurrection of the Body and the life everlasting Such therefore is the goodnesse of God to us that he doth not onely lead us in the hope of future things but hee hath given us something present in hand till he bring us home to Heaven to the enjoying of all the rest of his blessings The Lord promised to the Children of Israel to bring them to the land of Canaan and to put them in possession of it but first they were a long while led in the wildernesse when Moses sent spies into the land which did bring home unto them of the fruite thereof to taste of it as it is Numb 12. 18. that so they might have comfortable hope that one day they should enjoy it even so it pleased God in the wildernesse of this world to give us a taste of Heaven and Glory and of the Life to come that wee might long after the full possession of Heaven and happinesse therefore wee may admire at the kindnesse of God who giveth us somewhat in hand present so that all our happinesse is not laid up in hope as Tertullian saith the Lord hath given us a pawne and pledge that one day hee will render the whole to us Now of the blessings that God doth bestow on his People in this life The first is the communion of Saints for wee doe beleeve that there is a blessed and holy Communion of Saints in this world and that there is no communion like it There be divers communions in this world there is a communion of theeves spoken of Prov. 1. 14. Cast in thy lot amongst us we will all have one purse So there is also a communion of darkenesse as Esay 5. 12. say they Come I will bring joy and wee will fill our selves with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant so likewise there is a communion of the enemies of God as Psal 2. 1. Why doe the Heathen rage and the People murmur in vaine the kings of the Earth band themselves together and the Princes of the Earth are assembled against the Lord and against his Christ so wee see that there be divers communions in this world but fearefull and heavy shall the end of all these be for as they have had communion together in sinne so shall they have communion in paines and torments So as you heard out of the Parable Matth. 13. Christ saith The tares shall be bound together in bundles that is all the wicked such as hinder the growth of the corne Augustine thus expounds that part of the Parable where Christ saith The tares shall be bound together in bundles that is every kinde of sinner shall bee bound up together the Adulterers together the Theeves together the Drunkards together and perjured persons together they shall be bound together in bundles for the further increase of their torments for as many strawes or stickes being bound together in a bundle serve to set one another on fire and to increase the flame so the number of the wicked being bound together shall increase one anothers torment and griefe so that it shall not be as the World saith the more the merrier but the more the greater torment fearefull and heavie shall the end of all such Communions be therefore let us labour to have Communion with the Saints in Faith Repentance the graces of the Spirit and then we shall have Communion with the Saints in glory As Mat. 8. Christ saith that They shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God So Gen. 25. it is said that Abraham when he died was gathered to his people Abraham was a holy and a faithfull man and therefore when he died hee was gathered to his people that is to such as he was to holy and faithfull people so likewise in the same Chapter Ismael when he died was gathered to his People he was a bad man and was gathered to such as himselfe was for looke of what communion a man is to the same hee shall be gathered If thou art an adulterer thou shalt bee gathered to such if a Theefe to Theeves if a Drunkard to Drunkards if a Swearer to Swearers for looke what communion thou art of to the same thou shalt be gathered Therefore if thou wouldst not then have communion with such as theeves bee c. have no fellowship with them in their sinnes but labour to have communion with the Saints in Faith and Repentance and in the graces of the Spirit in this life and then thou shalt be gather'd to such and enjoy with them glory in the life to come Now the communion of Saints consists in three things 1. That we have Communion with God 2. That we have Communion with Christ 3. That
do not meane it was hard because they had laid a great stone upon Him as the woman said Who shall rowle away this stone but it was hard in regard of another thing for when any man is laid into the Grave he hath but his owne sinnes to keepe him downe but Christ had the sinnes of all the Elect People of God upon Him Therefore it was a harder matter for Christ to rise than for a private man yet notwithstanding for all this Christ did rise againe Therefore doe thou never doubt but that He will raise thee againe onely our care must bee to have Communion with Christ in his life and death to live as He lived to die and to lie in the Grave with Him even to lay our bodies as neere His as may be with desire to make our bodies as it were a pillow for Him and then when He riseth we shall rise with Him to glory and happinesse But if we doe not live the life of Christ and die with Him and lie in the Grave with Him and make our bodies a pillow for Him then Christ shall rise and raise us to torments It were well with the wicked if it might be so that they should never rise againe but Christ shall raise them againe not as a Head but as a terrible and fearefull Iudge and shall send them into endlesse torments For when a man hath lived a thousand yeeres in it hee is as new to beginne as ever hee was therefore doe thou labour to have communion with Christ in his life and death that so thou mayest rise and goe into glory with him Now there are divers objections that the Atheists make against this Article to be answered First they say How is it possible that men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together should rise againe I answer Though it bee above reason it is not against reason for we see that the flies that bee dead all the Winter time when the Summer commeth with the heat of the Sunne they revive againe if this may bee done by the power of Nature much more is the power of God able to raise dead men that have lien dead in the Grave many thousand yeeres together Secondly say they It is impossible for men to rise againe because their dust is mingled one with another and with the dust of other Creatures as let one come into the Churchyard and the dust is so mingled one with another that a man cannot say this is the dust of my father or of my mother for to make it plaine take a pint of milke and a pint of water and put them into the Sea there they remaine in their substance but are so mingled together as that they cannot be parted one with another so say they it is with dead men whose dust is so mingled one with another as it is impossible to sunder them To this I answer that although it is impossible for man to doe it yet as God saith All things are possible to God it is an easie matter to him to give to every man his dust againe and to sunder them one from another As a man that hath a handfull of divers seeds in his hand can take one seede from another so the Lord is able to take one dust from another and give unto every man that which belongeth to him I have heard there bee some men that have this cunning and skill that they can draw out of an Hearbe the foure Elements Fire Ayre Earth and Water if this cunning and skill be in man to draw this out of an Hearbe and to sunder the foure Elements much more is God able to sunder every mans dust and to bring them together againe Thirdly the Atheists object and say no man may eate the flesh of another man for then the mans flesh is become one with the other mans flesh and then if the one rise the other cannot To this I answer that it is true indeed but yet he was a perfect man before he ate him for it is a truth in Divinitie that every man shall rise againe with his own flesh but a man shall not rise with every thing that was once a part of him as if a man have a tooth beaten out and another come in the Roome of it hee shall not rise with both these so likewise a man hath a peece of flesh stricken off with a sword in place whereof new flesh comes hee shall not rise with all this but hee shall with so much as shall make him a perfect man so one man eats another mans flesh and it becomes one with his yet he shall not rise with that flesh but with asmuch as shall make him a perfect man againe Fourthly they bring Scripture against us that flesh and bloud cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven I answer the meaning is not that the substance of flesh and bloud shall enter into the kingdome of Heaven but that flesh as it is corrupted and sinnefull cloathed with infirmities and subject to mortality and death shall not enter into heaven so Paul takes it Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death c. therefore the meaning is that flesh and bloud in this transitory estate subject to infirmity shall not enter into the kingdome of God thus wee see that notwithstanding all the objections of the Atheists this Article stands good the dead shall rise againe The use is seeing the dead shall rise againe therefore though we dye as others doe are laid into the grave and dissolved to dust yet wee beleeve that wee shall rise againe This is the worst that the world can doe to us to take away life yet when they have done so we shall have it againe that must comfort us in all our troubles and distresses which did comfort Iob in his distresses and troubles Iob 12. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth and he shall stand the last upon this Earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy my body yet shall I see God in my flesh c. and David did comfort himselfe thus Psalm 16. Wherefore my heart is glad and tongue rejoyceth and my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption so Christ saith to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. The Sonne of man shall bee delivered unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day hee shall rise againe Now that which was Iobs Davids and Christs comfort must bee ours in all the troubles and distresses that befall us it was a comfort to old Iaakob Gen. 46. 3.
ought to keepe God our friend in this life if we expect to have him so at oâ—r death 256. †¶ Fulnesse of time 113. ¶ Christ came not till the fulnesse of time 114. ¶ G CHrist apprehended in a Garden because 1. Sinne began in a Garden 2. Christ prayed in the Garden 3. It was a place knowne to Iudas 177. c. The calling of the Gentiles in the wise mens comming to Christ 129. †That the Holy Ghost is God proved by Reason Scripture 479. The holy Ghost a Person really subsisting 481. distinct from father and Sonne 482. The holy Ghost really and actually in us 487. The holy Ghost Teacheth Governeth Comforteth us 509. c. The graces of the holy Ghost inestimably good 487. †The benefits wee receive by the holy Ghost 508. How the holy Ghost may be lost 515. †The meanes to come by the holy Ghost 488. The true markes to know whether the holy Ghost be in us or no. 489. Discovery of the false markes of the holy Ghosts being in us 494. The Defect Excesse of giving 593. Christ gave gifts personal to the Ministers royall to euery man 367. The life of Glory 650. The Saints Glory by Christs pronouncing them blessed at the end of the world 447. * Differences of Christs and Moses Glory 419. Foure properties of Goates 436. That there is a God proved by The workes of God The place where God is The nature of the creatures Our conscience Our experience 42. c. That there is but one God 46. How God is said to be Almighty 59. Things that imply Incapability Weaknesse Contradiction God caÌ„not doe 60. Vses of Instruction Comfort from Gods being Almighty 61. God is a true God inregard of his Nature Properties 48. We must beleeve God is our God in particular 49. God the Father of Christ 52. Vnion with Christ makes God our Father 53. Comforts that arise from Gods being our Father 56. Some men make their bellies their gods 46. ¶ A distinction of the Persons in the Godhead 50. †The Father the fountaine of the Godhead 51. ¶ Golgotha why so called 216. Many hindrances when wee goe about any thing that is good 340. †How God the Father communicates his goodnesse to the Sonne and holy Ghost 52. * The Church the Goshen of God therein light onely all the world besides being darke 565. ¶ The Gospell like a Vine in his growth 122. * The Gospell compared to a great glasse 219. †Christ more glorious in the preaching of the Gospell than in his bodily presence on Earth 130. * The wicked disobedient to Christs government 87. ¶ Christ governes his Church by 1. Drawing them to himselfe 375. 2. Guiding them the right way 377. 3. Exercising them with trials for their good 378. 4. Defending them from their enemies 380. Foure grounds that the true graces of Gods Spirit are never finally lost 518. In all Gods People a roote of Grace remains to be discerned three waies 505. * Common graces of the Spirit may bee lost 517. †Five meanes how to nourish the graces of the Spirit 520. No power in man to doe any thing unlesse God give him grace 445. Two things a weake beginner in grace must looke to 501. Grace at first small increases like seedâ— sowne 490. * Degrees of grace 490. †Growth of grace imperceptible 491. ¶ If grace be in the heart it will shew it selfe 190. * When wee rise in grace wee must leave the sinnes of nature behinde us 298. * The Papists opinion of the incertainty of grace confuted 494. Two defects in restraining grace 495. The graces of the Spirit compared to Oyle 81. Desire of grace fourefold 505. ¶ Comforts in the lying in our graves 633. Christs grave why new 279. Every man though hee have no house hath a grave to be buried in 278. * Christ at first made knowne to the poorer sort not great men 120. ¶ All sinne is a griefe to God 481. * The sinnes of Gods People doe more grieve Christ than of the prophaner sort 18. †The Spirit grieved by sinne against knowledge and disobedience 520. H THe right hand of God signifies 1. His Power 2. The glory of Heaven 3. Propinquitie of place to God in dignity 371. By Christs sitting at Gods right hand is implied His enobling our nature His governement of the Church 372. Christ sits at Gods right hand 1. To shew the worke of mans redemption is finished 2. All judiciary power is committed to him 3. He is in continuall act of judgement 374. Never can a man make too much haste to come to Christ 126. ¶ A good hearer like dry powder 528. ¶ How to know whether Christ bee conceived in the heart 105. ¶ The great stirre that is at the conception of Christ in the heart of a Christian 108. †The heart hardned in sinne nothing will do good upon 185. ¶ Pilate an Heathen goes beyond most Christians in fearing to sinne against God 209. * God the maker of Heaven and Earth 64 65. Of the reâ—â—ing of the Heavens and the Earth 412. All that come to Heaven must come by Christ 286. ¶ Heaven promised to sinners upon repentance 242. * Heaven prepared for the Elect before they were borne 451. Gods Children must be content to stay from Heaven for the good of those they live amongst 359. †In Heaven we shall be freed from 1. All necessities of nature 652. 2. All labours of this life ibid. 3. Originall sinne 653. 4. All worldly power and authoritie 654. 5. All society with the wicked ibid. 6. All sicknesses and diseases 655. The Heavens shall be new in regard of Vse Disposition Effects 413. In Heaven we shall enjoy 1. Immediate society with God 655. 2. Eternall presence of Christ ibid. 3. Societie of Saints and Angels 657. 4. Lordship over the world ibid. 5. A continuall Sabbath to the Lord. 658. Christ suffered the paines of Hell but not in place of Hell 242. * Women when good helps 206. * Christ borne when Herod was king to shew His Kingdome was not of this world The Iewes kingdome was at the lowest 115. Why Herod was troubled at Christs comming 132. †Herod desired to see Christ not for love but for his miracles sake 201. ¶ The holy Ghost the onely Author of holinesse 482. Sixe meanes whereby the holy Ghost workes holinesse in us 484. Two defects of Popish holinesse 572. All our hope and comfort must bee in Christ 140. * We ought to bee humbled seeing Christ was humbled for us 101. †Christs humiliation the first degree 100. The humilitie of Christ in his birth 117. ¶ None can hurt us but from power given from God 60. 179. * I THe Valley of Iehoshaphat not the place of the last judgement 398. Christ will deale with good men as Iehu with Iehonadab 447. ¶ Humane reason brought the wise men to Ierusalem divine to Bethlehem 130. †Why the Iewes were troubled at Christs birth 132. ¶ In