be sprinckeled which sprinkling notes the very applying of Christs blood to the soule of a sinner But when is this medicine applyed For time there is no application but in this â—â—fe no curing after this life no procuring of oyle after the Bridegroomes comming And consequently there is no purgatory no satisfactions no helpe from men or Angels hereafter Detestable is that wicked heresie of Bellarmine that the sufferings of the living helpe the dead three wayes 1. By way of merit of congruity 2. By way of intreaty 3 By way of satisfaction Contrary to that of Augustine Ibi erit paenitentiae dolorem habens sed medieinam non habens Repent they doe after death but without any cure That is the time of justice onely this is the acceptable time In vaine should you minister physicke to a dead man And faith then ceaseth with all the workes of it Seeing onely beleevers have the benefit of Cure above all things labour for faith Want faith thou perishest art deadly sicke without recovery Christ could doe no great worke in his owne Countrey because of their unbeleefe He that beleeveth not the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh 3. uls Hast thou faith be of good comfort according to thy faith it shall bee unto thee not according to thy money wealth friends but thy faith makes thee whole If God hath not given thee so much wealth so fine clothes so liberall fare as to others yet if he hath given thee so much faith he is liberall enough Oh that I had never so little a graine of faith but I have none so this blood can doe mee no good it is impossible for me to be cured But first hast thou none labour for it thou mayest have it If thou beleevest all things are possible Secondly distinguish betweene want and weakenesse of faith betweene the want of the grace and the want of sense If thou hast any faith never so weake as these grones desires prove then remember that excellent place Rom. 14. 3 God chuseth the weake in faith Hee makes choyce of thee then doe not thou refuse him And remember that the Cure was not ordained for Angels in heaven nor for Saints triumphant but militant that fight with unbeleefe corruptions and lusts If thou weâ—t perfect thou shouldst not need it If thou beest not perfect thou hast no cause to renounce but embrace it Come sicke as thou art come weary come bruised come despairing in thy selfe it is a medicine for the sicke a refreshing of the weary a builder up of the broken spirit nay and a quickener of the dead Here is that tree of life the leaves whereof doe heale the nations Let not thine owne unbeleefe be as a shaken sword in thine owne hand to keepe thee from it Remember the Text The whole need not the Physician but they that are â—â—â—ke Againe seeing there is a time to heale come in season Eccleâ— 3. 3 neglect not the opportunity get into the water so soone as the Angell moveth make benefit of advantages worke with God and the means accept the offers and invitations for thine owne welfare Thou mayest seeke oyle too late blessing too late the Word and faith too late and repentance too late Againe content not thy selfe onely to heare of this remedy but seeke to know that it is applyed to thee in particular and to feele the vertue of it in thy selfe as Paul desired to know nothing but the vertue of Christs death and resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. Quest. How may I know it Answ. As Physicke taken into the body workes often so painefully that men are even at the gate of death in their present sense and no other but dead men so this Physicke worketh kindely when it worketh paine in the Party through the sense and sight of sinne and apprehension of Gods anger feare of damnation and utter despaire in themselves For this is the worke of the spirit of bendage namely generall faith in the Beleevers applying the Law and threatnings to their owne deepe humiliation No man can saile to heaven but by the gates of hell 2. As Physicke kindly working delivers the party not only from death but such humors as were the cause of his sickenesse at least that they be not predominant Even so must this Physicke rid us of our sinne and these peccant humors which were the matter of our sickenesse and that both from the condemnation and corruption of them 1 Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne purgeth us from all sinne First from the condemnation of sinne this blood is shed for the remission of sinnes Galat. 3. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Otherwise it must be with us as with him who in a desperate disease without Physicke must dye Secondly from the corruption of sinne both the disease of naturall and originall sinne and the leprosie of actuall sinnes Now looke into thy selfe examine whether this blood be a corrosive in thy soule to eat out the corruption of nature whether it purge the conscience from dead workes Hebr. 9. 14. whether it hath quitted thee as well from the dominion of sinne as from the damnation of it whether it hath brought thee to leave sinne c. Reason with the Apostle hath Christ dyed to kill sinne in me and shall I live to quicken it nay rather as 1 Peter 4. 1. forasmuch as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh we must arme our selues with the same minde for that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Thirdly as physicke is profitably applyed when it brings ease and rest having carried away the matter of the paine So is this physicke well applyed when faith quiets the heart by assuring it that Christ and his benefits are his and hath set him above the Law sinne hell death even in this life as a Conquerour and all this because he beleeves the Gospell Now come in peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost Beleeving yee reioyce with ioy unspeakeable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. When these take place instead of former gripes and stings of conscience this blood is soundly applyed For as nothing could cure the stung Israelites but the beholding of the brazen Serpent so nothing can pacifie the stung conscience but the blood of Christ lifted on the Crosse. 4. As after application of proper physicke wee finde a great change in our bodies as if wee had new bodies given us so after the kindly worke of this physicke we may finde our selves cast into a new mould this blood applyed makes us new Creatures new men having new mindes new wils new words new affections new actions new conversations Our strength is renewed to Christian actions and passion Wee are strong for our journey for our combate and strong to carry burdens with a strong
a thousand worlds of men and Angels could not redeeme God set it at the highest rate and the divell would give a whole world for one soule but thou countest it not worth any thing Hell shall be filled with soules at a cheaper rate than one soule can get to heaven by So of the first meditation The second is this For a lost soule there is no remedy nor recompence all the world cannot redeem a lost soule for a soule not yet quite lost may be a recompence by the blood of Christ but for a soule lost is no remedie nor ransome no not in Christ himselfe To conceive this consider 1 What is the estate of a lost soule 2 What it is that being once lost makes it irrecoverable 3 The worthlesnes and impotencie of all earthly things to help it For the first of these see what goeth to the losse of a soule 1. There is the losse of Gods favour fellowship and presence whose favour and presence is better than life for with him is the Well of life And not that onely but the soule is thrust under Gods most heavie displeasure and his hot wrath which is a consuming fire 2. The losse of Jesus Christ and all the benefits of his redemption and so the soule is cut off from remission of sinne to which onely belongeth blessednes from imputation of righteousnes which only entitleth to life from the dignitie of adoption to which only belongs the inheritance from the benefit of Christs intercession that hee will not so much as pray for such Now the soule lying without Christ lyeth under the whole rigour of the Morall Law under the curse and sentence of condemnation and malediction for provoking so high justice and under the power of Satan as a Jaylor holding the sinner unto execution in everlasting chaines 3. The lost soule hath lost the blessed presence of the Spirit of God which is the soule of the soule and as the Sunne to the world so is hee to the Elect for light and comfort There is a losse of the Spirit in all his saving offices his illumination further than to make them unexcusable his consolation and joy having left them to eternall horrour and heavinesse and his assistance of leading them into all truth or raising requests in them Thus wanting the spirit they want all degrees of mortification from first to last in life and death They are layd under the whole power of their vain conversation under all the corruption of the present evil world that they may eternally lye under as much power as guilt of sinne 4. There is the losse of heaven and happinesse and that eternally and not that onely but the sense of horrible torment expressed in Scripture by unquenchable fire which notes them infinitely miserable in the eternitie and durance of most exquisite torments for their worme dyeth not and their fire goeth not out Esa. 66. 24. and they have no rest but the smoake of their fire ascendeth continually Rev. 14. 15. so as they shall seeke death but shall not find it their very being is a punishment Next what is it that makes the soule once lost irrecoverable 1. An invincible wicked and hard heart setled upon sin and sending out all cursed practises of lying swearing despighting grace in the means and bringers crueltie injustice vaine confidence and all manner of sin They that doe such things are shut out of the kingdome of God and of Christ 1. Cor. 69. Gal. 5. 21. For such be wray themselves given up of God to a reprobate minde calling good evill and darknesse light whose consciences are seared against all goads and prickings of the word no counsell or admonition toucheth them nor troubleth them all the threats and menaces of the law are to them as iron-weapons to Behemoth esteemed as straw Here is a man in a lost estate Judas is a lost son of perdition how know you him all the counsels and admonitions of Christ are lost upon him nothing workes upon him for reformation and obstinate Pharaoh will be broken all to pieces before the powerfull ministerie of Moses and Aaron can bend him If we meet with such knottie pieces on whom in vaine wee breake many wedges who if Moses and Aaron were immediately sent with as many miracles as messages or if Christ himselfe in person should perswade with them yet still would remaine obstinate alas what remedie who can save a lost man a man that will not bee saved A man that chuseth death must dye he will not live 2. This also makes the lost soule irrecoverable for that it hath trod under foot the blood of Christ so as there is no more price or sacrifice for his sin Heb. 10. 29. And they doe this saith Ambrose who sin voluntarily without feare not regarding the blood that was shed for them nor fearing Christ the Judge who somtimes shed his blood for their redemption This is to crucifie Christ againe daily to themselves and to put him to death daily who having dyed once can dye no more Slight this blood of Christ and sin against it what can save thee 3. The Spirit of grace in the Ministery hath beene despighted his motions and knockes all rejected himselfe grieved and banished And now that he is driven out with despight hee never comes more let that soule sinke or swim the Spirit of life is gone 4. The day of mercy hath beene despised the season of grace hath beene slipped the doore of grace is now shut a world of teares and sorrow cannot now quench the fire of wrath kindled against the sinnes and soules now the blessing is too late sought with teares teares of horror and despaire a full sea of them cannot wash the guilt of one sin repentance is now unseasonable Time was when Christ called Jerusalem with tears would have gathered her as the hen gathers her chickens but she would not the things of her peace were then hid from her eyes and afterward all her sorrow was too late Next see the worthlesnesse and impotencie of all earthly things to recover a lost soule First in their rankes Whatsoever is in the world is reduced to one of these three heads 1. John 2. 16. Lust of the flesh voluptuousnesse pleasures wherein if there be any excellency the brute beasts led with sensualitie enjoy it above men for they enjoy their appetite without all restraint and checke of reason or religion Lust of the eye desire of wealth riches abundance whereof worst men are greatest gainers and those that have no true treasure abound in these beside the Scripture calls them shadows lyes thicke clay uncertaine and deceivable riches And pride of life honor ambition preferment estimation of men which are so much the more worthlesse because they depend upon other mens breath and opinion beside the whole world is witnesse to the levity and
Father for his glorification because hee had glorified him on earth Joh. 17. 4. 5. 2. All glory is due unto him as the sonne of man by the donation of his Father Mat. 28. 18. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth So as it is Christs owne glory as the sonne of man as that is a mans owne which is given him Therefore in Mat. 25. 31. the phrase is changed Christ challengeth it to bee his owne glory when the sonne of man commeth in his glory But yet in speaking of himselfe as on the one hand he advanceth that great majestie hee shall appeare in so on the other he forgetteth not to referre all that glory to his Father which may bee a glasse held before our eyes that when wee speake of our selves or any endowment or gift belonging to our selves wee so speake of it and so use it as still our eye be fixed on Gods glory from whom and for whom wee have received it When Christ shall appeare in such glory as never creature was capable of nor can be then shall â—e most of all advance the glorie of his Father But contrarily when God most honours some men they most forget his honour so they may advance themselves they litle care how his glory bee troden under foot Happie is that man who is so faithfull in these small things as that the Lord shall be then occasioned to trust him with much But wherein shall this glorie appeare Partly in his person partly in â—is office both for preparation execution 1. In his person he shall be advanced above all the glory of all â—he Judges and Princes of the earth whether wee consider his divine nature or humane For the former hee shall bee manifest to be the mighty God for howsoever hee shall exercise his judiciary power visibly and appeare the sonne of man yet shall hee be mightily declared to be the Sonne of God in that the personall union of his two natures shall shine out as the Sunne in his strength which before was vailed and obscured And for his humane nature he shall be therein exalted in glorie as the head of his Church that even his glorious body shall carrie such majestie with it and be seene in such admirable brightnesse as that the sunne which dazelleth our eyes can scarce resemble it For if the just shall shine in the glory which shall obscure the Sunne in the Firmament how shall their justifier shine in glory And if his Attendants shall be so glorious as no man is able to behold the glory of the least of them what and how glorious must he be who shall so farre surpasse them all put together as the Sunne doth the lesser starres in brightnesse 2. If we consider his high office we shall behold him as the just Judge of all the world clothed with all the robes of glory and majestie such as shall well suit with the throne of his glory and such as shall fit him to the great worke in hand How glorious and magnificent was the giving of the Law and how solemne the preparation the earth shooke the mountaines trembled the Lord came downe in fire and out of thundrings lightnings and a thicke cloud sounded his trumpet so lowd as all the people trembled and shooke and afterward a terrible voice was heard of six hundred thousand men beside women and children yea in such glory appeared the Lord on mount Sinai that Moses himselfe said I quake and feare But when the Lord Jesus shall shew himselfe from heaven to judge the transgression of that law his glory shall not onely shake mount Sinai but the whole frame of heaven and earth all to pieces when fire shall not compasse one mountaine but the whole world shall be set on a light fire when the last trumpet shall sound and not onely the living shall heare it as then but the dead and all that are in the graves when the Lord of glory with one shout shall not raise one man as Lazarus but all that ever have beene dead from the first man to the last which hee shall finde standing on the earth But to behold more specially the particular robes and rayes of glory wherewith the Judge is prepared to the judgment 1. He shall come armed with an infinite power and dominion over all creatures which shall be acknowledged by them all the Angels shall all observe and attend it the heavens and earth and all elements shall bee dissolved by it the dead bodies of men shall be raised by it and called out of the graves the sea the bellies of beasts in all corners of the world the voice of the Son of God shall be heard of all in the graves and obeyed none shall be able to resist it 2. Hee shall come furnished with a glorious and unconceivable Omniscience to which nothing shall be hid or covered he shall reveale all counsels of hearts and all secret contrivances never so long hid All things are naked to him with whom we have to doe for to him the day and darknesse are alike there can be no concealment of things from this allfeeing Judge 3. Hee shall come covered with divine justice as a robe which shall confound all the enemies of his glory Jer. 2. 16. as a theefe is ashamed when he is taken in the manner so shall all wicked doers And there is no avoiding no deluding or perverting the justice neither the processe or finall sentence unlesse any mans power or policie were above his 4. Hee shall come prepared with glorious evidence and testimonie against all wicked men for their conviction that they shall not be able to implead the justice of the Judge or judgment For First hee shall have evidence and witnesse in their owne consciences which shall then accuse them to the Judge and their owne confessions shall be as a thousand witnesses Therefore saith Augustine Doest thou feare the last judgment rectifie thy conscience and all shall be well Secondly hee shall command the creatures and elements abused by their sinnes to give in evidence against them Job 20. 27. The heavens shall reveale their wickednesse and the earth shall rise up against them all creatures shall serve their Lord. Thirdly the good Angels whom they have in their kinde grieved and driven away from them by their sin shall witnesse against them And the wicked Angels who were first in tempting shall then bee first in accusing and first in tormenting Fourthly the Scriptures of God against which they have sinned yea the word of mercy the offer of mercies their abuse of mercies the resisting of means of grace and mercy all shall witnesse against them not so much to informe the Judge as to convince themselves and promote justice Fiftly all their sinnes shall witnesse against their authours and patrones Every iniquitie hath his secret and still voice saith Gregory
is a prophecie of Christs Kingdome who is appointed to rule in the middest of his enemies 1. The place or countrie over which he is King is Sion v. 2. that is the Church of God figured by Sion at that time 2. His government over his Church is called a Kingdome for the similitude it hath with earthly Kingdomes and in all wee shall see the comming of Christs kingdome to bee by the powerfull preaching and obeying of the Gospell 1. Earthly Kings have royall titles and stiles of honour So for the name and title of this King hee is called the Word of God Rev. 19. 13. Even that eternall Word Joh. 1. 1. which was before all beginning but now incarnate And he is called faithfull and true vers 11. not onely faithfull in defence of his subjects but true in his promises and retributions of reward to those that valiantly fight his battels 2. Other Kings have subjects and here must be subjects which heare his voice and follow him Joh. 10. 28. called a willing people Ps. 110. 3. Elect and drawne of the Father all gathered by the word and voice of Christ and of unwilling made a willing people because his redeemed ones both by price and power 3. Other Kings have their lawes and statutes for the government of their subjects The lawes of this King are the lawes of heaven the Charter of heaven the Word of God in the two Testaments the law of entire nature renewed in the former and the law of faith revealed in the latter It is hence called the word of the Kingdome Matth. 13. 19. because his Kingdome is erected and preserved by it And these lawes are bounded with rewards to the Observers and penalties to the transgressours all these being comprehended in the promises and threats of the word 4. Other Kings ride in great state and glory both to make and execute lawes as also in their just warres for the defence of their right and subjects and just revenge of wrong-doers So this King rideth upon a white horse and every where triumpheth by his truth being faithfull and true fighting and judging righteously Rev. 19. 11. and Psal. 45. 4. Prosper with thy glory ride upon the word of truth and meekenes And how gloriously he rode on upon his word through all the world after his Ascension wee have shewed 5. Other Kings have their crownes sword and scepter but with much difference from this King 1. He hath many crownes upon his head whereas other Princes seldome have above one to note the many victories which according to the word and by the word hee hath obtained against Satan sin death hell for himselfe and his subjects 2. His sword is the sword of the Spirit the Word of God which he holds not in his hand as other Princes but in his mouth Rev. 1. 16. Out of his mouth went a two edged sword Esa. 11. 4. Hee shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips slay the wicked where the rod of his mouth and breath of his lips are all one namely his word by which sword hee subdued three thousand at one Sermon 3. His scepter is that rod of his power which he sends out of Sion that is his word as is expounded Esa. 2. 3. The law shall goe out of Sion and the Word of God out of Jerusalem But other Princes hold their scepter in their hand hee in his mouth 6. Other Kings have their guard and armie to attend them So hath he those who know the time and place of their attendance Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall come willingly at the time of assembling thine army in holy beautie whereby wee know who they be that waite on Christ as his servants namely those that waite at the time and place of holy assemblies called his holy beautie these have free accesse unto him in his presence-chamber and follow him into their owne hearts where hee is present by his Spirit to guide and comfort them By all this plainely appeareth that where the Word is preached and obeyed the Lord Jesus commeth in glory and in his Kingdome His name is the Word of God his subjects gathered by the word his lawes the word of the kingdome his white horse on which hee rideth in triumph is the word of truth his crownes are put and held on his head by the word his scepter the rod of his mouth his sword the two edged sword going out of his mouth his attendants and guard waiting on him in the place of holy beautie Which serves to convince all the enemies of the truth as rebels to the Kingdome of Christ the greatest enemies and rebels hee hath are the hinderers of his word and ordinances let their pretences be what they will and manifestly are they discovered to be hypocrites who will say every day Thy Kingdome come and yet by all their power hinder the passage and power of the Gospel nothing is such a 〈…〉 ion to them nothing is such burden to the place where they live as Christs comming powerfully in his Kingdome themselves will not enter nor yet suffer such as would enter into the Kingdome And the like of our wilfull Recusants and such as refuse to heare the word preached which is the Proclamation of this great king investing him into his kingdome Were not he a disloyall subject that would wilfully denie his presence at the Proclamation whereby the king is proclaimed the lawfull heire and successour into his kingdome And will not the Lord Jesus reckon him an enemie that refuseth to be present while he is by publike preaching and proclamation set into his Kingdome as the Lord of his Church hath Christ any place in his heart that cannot abide to heare he should be set in his lawfull inheritance Oh that all these either secret or professed enemies of Christ would seasonably consider what a fearefull thing it is to enter into combination against Christs Kingdome and government 1. Hath his Father established him on his Throne and set his King on Sion and will the rebels displace him will they wrong and resist him whom the Lord hath set up will they pull his crowne from his head dethrone him from his government wrest the sword out of his hand breake his scepter in pieces violate his lawes and thinke to prosper in their high treasons and in taking up armes against the Lord 2. Looke on the dangerous issue and estate of enemies Luk. 19. 27. Those mine enemies that will not I should raigne over them bring them hither that I may destroy them Wilt thou not stoupe to the rod of his mouth his rod of iron is readie in his hand to breake thee to pieces as 〈◊〉 potters vessel Psalme 2. 9. On the other side it must bee the greatest comfort of a godly man when Christ comes most powerfully in his Kingdome so our Lord