for euer Wee shoulde enter into the way to get his presence Christian Religion standeth not so much in curiositie or in speaches as in the sense of the heart in a practising of that loue of the heart in the life and conuersation The Apostle Paul in the fourth Chap. to the Ephes vers 22.24 telleth vs what it is to learne Christ euen to put off the olde man and to put on the newe man This for the answere Yet hee insisteth in that that they should keepe his Commaundement No it cannot bee preached enough to keepe the Commandement of Christ because our nature is so backward And as before he pointed out the man who loued him so now he pointeth out the man who loueth him not and that is he who keepes not his Command and blessed word that he hath giuen for our weale Who is it then who loueth him not hee who keepeth not his Commandes Marke when yee see a man taking pleasure to displease God and leading a life directlie contrary to the will of God point out that man and saye This is a man who hateth God in his heart Iudge not of a man by his tongue and speaches for oftentimes hee vvho doeth vvorst speaketh best Aske at an hypocrite if hee bee a Christian or not hee will bee angrie with you because hee not seeing himselfe thinketh himselfe as good as any other It is an easie thing to the tongue to cloake the filth of the heart of the hypocrite And vvhat will his hand be doing then It will be vttering it selfe in a filthie life So take not vp the disposition of the heart of man or vvoman by the tongue but by the hand for the hand will saye to the tongue Tongue thou liest John 1. Epist Chap. 2. Vers 4. If any say I know God and keepe not his Command he is a lyar and the trueth is not in him And againe Chap. 4. Vers 20. If any man say I loue God and hateth his brother he is but a lyar Who is it that controlleth the tongue and testifieth before the world that the heart is but false It is the hande and the worke the tongue is but a cloake of falsenesse Marke a faythfull man by his hâ—nde and not by his tongue Our Lord sayeth in the seuenth Chap. of Matth. and the eighteenth vers It is vnpossible that an euill Tree can bring foorth good fruit Yet he insisteth in this matter for hee is very earnest to recommende this obedience to his Disciples and to vs all and hee furnisheth the last argument whereby they should be moued to keep his Commandement and he leadeth them vnto that Fountaine of all his wordes vvhich was that glorious Majestie of his Father The word sayth he vvhich yee heare is not mine but the Fathers vvhich sent mee Would yee haue the ground and fountaine of all fayth of all obedience of all well-doing and of all securitie in this life The ground of all is the onely mouth of the Father So that when a man vnderstandeth that word that hee should belieue into it is not the worde of man but that Verity that floweth from the mouth of the Majesty of God then the heart gripeth vnto it belieueth then the hand executeth it then there followeth obedience But when the heart is not perswaded that the word flowes from that mouth of God but from man then the heart will draw abacke it cannot belieue and the life will not follow it Then Christ learneth vs here If wee would haue the people belieuing and obeying his worde to drawe their eares to heare the Lord speaking and then the hearts of the faythfull will receiue it vvith joye and practise it Away with all the wordes of men of all creatures of all Angels they cannot bee a solide grounde to our fayth neither can the authoritv of the Kirke bee a ground to our fayth albeit the foolish Papists affirme that the cause wherefore vve belieue the Scripture is because the Kirke sayth it is the word of God for except the Scripture bare witnesse of the selfe that it vvere of God and the word of God truely the authoritie of the Kirke could neuer make vs belieue nor perswade vs the same For the ground of our fayth must bee the voyce and testimony of God himselfe speaking to vs. Onely this word of the Olde and Newe Testament vvherein God himselfe speaketh is able to establish our fayth The Lord when hee hath exhorted them perceiuing that his vvorde tooke not that effect in the heartes of his Disciples that it should haue done notwithstanding all his gracious speaking for he knew their hearts he meeteth this and he sayth J haue spoken these thinges being present with you And howbeit they bee not so effectuall in you for the present bee not discouraged for when I shall passe to the Heauen the Comforter which is the holy Ghost whome the Father will sende in my Name shall teach you all thinges and hee shall call these wordes to your remembrance which J haue tolde you We may learne here first the word hath none effect in the heart without the Spirit accompany it Let it bee the worde of God and flowe out of the mouth of God yet and hee concur not with the worde by his Spirit the word shall worke none effect in the heart There are two Doctors who teach vs one Doctor outwarde to the eare and another inwarde that is the Spirit vvho mollifieth the heart Let the outwarde Doctor sounde neuer so long in the eare if the inwarde concur not the worde shall doe no good And except that Spirite open the eye of the soule to see and open the heart as he opened the heart of Lydia Act. Chap. 16. vers 14. to receiue that seede of the worde the heart shall bee as a closed Booke and harder than it was of before Marke another thing The Spirit of the Lord Iesus will not accompany the worde at all times no not in the hearts of the faythfull themselues The Apostles were a proofe of this Howe much spake the Lord to them vvhen he was in the world and how little effect tooke it in them till he went to the Heauens In the 29. chap. of Esay vers 11. ye reade the word of the Lord is like a closed book to the vnfaithful Nowe this is true likewise the worde of God to the godly sometimes is like a closed booke and they will haue such a hardnesse at times that they will haue no sense of it not to indure them but to humble them And if euer there was maâ—ter of humiliation heere it is that when God speaketh thou wilt stande vp and not regarde him and receiue no fruite nor consolation of it Vpon this riseth the Lesson to vs all that the Lord Iesus gaue vnto his Disciples Howbeit at sometimes wee will finde an euill disposition of the soule a deafnesse a blindnesse and senselesnesse Take this consolation Be not discouraged altogether
Weigh the wordes for they are weighty Peace I leaue you sayeth the Lord No question hee alludeth to that common fashion of salutation that was vsed amongst the Iewest in their meetinges and departinges wherein they wished peace one to another by the which word they vnderstood all kind of prosperitie in thinges earthly and heauenly So the Lord would say I am now to depart from you but I leaue something behind mee to you to wit my blessing prosperity for euer Now least it should haue bene thought that he left peace vnto them no other wayes than the men of this world vse to do he subjoyneth My peace I giue you There is an emphasis in these wordes My peace and I giue you it As the Lord would saye Men may well wish peace to men but it lieth in no mans hands to giue peace there is no Angel in Heauen able to giue peace but I sayeth the Lord shall giue you it I am not only sayth the Lord a wisher but a giuer There is no man able to giue his owne peace because no man hath peace to giue Men may wish peace from God as to the Philipp 4.7 It is called the peace of God None of the Apostles will say My peace but the peace of God and therefore hee is called the God of peace Rom. 16.20 The Lord Iesus hath peace to giue as the Father hath peace Yea more he would signifie by this peace not a common sort of peace but an inwarde peace of conscience the rest to the soule of a sinner that peace that passeth all vnderstanding Philipp Chap. 4. Vers 7. The rest of the soule as ye may reade in Matthewes Gospel Chap. 11. Vers 29. where Christ sayeth Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you and yee shall finde rest to your soules Take this peace away there is no rest to the soule This peace is called Christes peace because it floweth from him immediately till vs that wee may haue a good conscience that we may haue assurance of the remission of our sinnes for herein standeth chiefelv a good conscience when it sayeth thy sinnes are freely forgiuen thee Wee knowe this good conscience standeth in fayth thorow the blood of CHRIST Take awaye the blood of CHRIST there is no conscience that is good Heb. 9.14 The blood of Christ purgeth our conscience from dead works to serue the liuing God that is it purgeth vs from our sins So ye see this that all the joy of the soule floweth from the blood of Christ Iesus and therefore worthily he calleth it his peace because it commeth thorow his blood vvithout the which peace there is no rest howbeit yee had all the peace of all the Princes of the worlde Let the Traytors haue the Kinges peace and let them vvant this peace let them passe as they will they haue no peace Yet he insisteth the third time and subjoyneth Not as the worlâ—e giueth giue I it He marketh the manner of the giuing and maketh an exposition of the giuing of it Worldly men will take vpon them to giue peace but the worldes peace is but for a fashion the mouth will wish peace and the heart will curse this is the peace of the world That peace of the world is so fectlesse that scarcelie vvill a man wish that peace from his heart As the Lord woulde say I speake not only with my mouth but from mine heart I wish it and I shall effectuate it indeede A man may wish well but it vvanteth effect Yee see now this three-folde repetition Will yee vveigh the words yee shall finde a wonderfull intier loue and vnspeakeable heartinesse vttered by the Lord in his Farewell These vvords let vs see that he not only leaueth peace and loue behinde him but his very heart Besides all the grace wee haue of Iesus Christ they who loue Christ they haue his heart Looke how tenderly he loueth faythfull men howbeit hee bee in the Heauen yet he leaueth them his very heart and inwarde affection there is an vnspeakeable loue Now when he hath taken his good-night he concludes Seeing I haue left you peace and I giue you it vvhat then needeth you to bee troubled Marke then this conclusion Where the peace of the Lord is not there the soule of man hath no rest there is nothing but trouble and griefe there It is true great sinners vvho vvill haue no part of Iesus Christ vvill haue some kind of rest and who vvill bee so merry as they Bloody murderers vvicked blasphemers and vile adulterers vvill by appearance haue peace But Brethren this is but a false peace and assuredly it is better a thousand times to haue an vnquiet and restlesse soule than to haue a secure life for a senselesse carnall security is a sure token of a sudden judgement to come Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians Chap. 5. Vers 3. sayeth When they say there is peace and safety then shall come vpon them sudden destruction as the trauell vpon a vvoman with child and they shall not escape The loune will bid cloze the yates and bid watch let him bid as hee vvill the judgement of God shall not passe by him and his yates shall not holde out the wrath of God but it shall come on him as the paine commeth on a woman in the time of her birth So in one vvorde they who want this peace they haue no peace No peace to the wicked Isai 57. By the contrary vvhen the Lord Iesus giueth peace to the heart of a sinfull man or woman vvhose heart is troubled then the heart of a sinner hath peace I put the case that a man were in great danger euen at deaths doore yea and he were in the fire and the Lord Iesus giue him his peace and saye I giue thee my peace then the soule shall be in exceeding joye Tyrantes haue marueiled that the Martyres who suffered for Iesus should haue had such a joye as they had So if the Lord Iesus will once say My peace I giue you then the soule will rest on him with such a joye as is vnspeakeable So the Apostles felt this indeede In one vvorde the peace of Iesus Christ guardeth the soule and maketh it sure as Paul sayeth to the Philipp Cha. 4. Vers 7. Thus farre now hath the Lord comforted his Disciples Nowe in the next Verse hee beginneth to speake more sharply and hee as it were findeth fault with them that they loued him not well enough and they vttered it in that they were so grieued and displeased at his departure This forme that the Lord vseth teacheth vs this that in comforting of heauy hearted sinners Who should bee comforted but the heauy hearted thou vse gentle reproofes for the heart that is heauy and sad vvill hardly take consolation but will delite in sadnesse Looke howe yee shall comfort them not to holde vp the heart aye with comfort but reproue it with some piece
he must gripe vs first all thinges begin at him and his affection is to vs first ere we loue him hee loueth vs and because he imbraceth vs so friendly with his loue therefore wee loue him and the sense of the loue of God in Iesus Christ were not in vs first wrought wee would neuer loue him Euen so is it in that conjunction if he neuer conjoyned himselfe with vs first we would neuer gripe him Paul to the Philippians Chap. 3. Vers 12. he striueth to get a gripe of him by whom he was first griped And this should bee our strife To striue euer to gripe Christ and if this bee not thy strife miserable shall bee thine ende as it is in that conjunction so it is in the perseuerance No man can perseuer in that loue and in that fayth except it please the Lord to abide with vs by his Spirit In one worde all grace beginneth at Christ and if we haue any grace all floweth from him Our Lesson is When we heare the Lord exhorting vs after this manner Abide in mee and I in you answere Abide in mee Lord and I shall abide in thee Lord except thou abide in me I will fall and such like when the Lord sayeth Belieue in me say Lord take a gripe of mee by thy Spirit first So when it is said Loue mee answere Lord loue thou mee first for the loue I haue to thee floweth from the loue thou hast to me Now wee come to the reasons the Lord vseth to moue his Disciples to abide in that vnion with him The first argument hee vseth is from good works and a sanctified life and this is the argument Except yee abide in that vnion with me there cannot bee such a thing that any of you can bring foorth fruit Therefore as thou wouldest liue an holy life abide in me and sticke fast by me He declareth this b◠a comparison Except the branch abide in the Vine tree it can bring foorth no fruit So except yee be ingraffed in me and abide in me the true Vine tree no more can yee produce good works Marke it this reason craueth a consideration of an higher ground the ground is this There is a necessitie laide vpon euerie man and woman in the worlde to liue an holie life as euer they would see the face of God Nowe this necessitie being laide come to the reason But so it is No man can liue an holie life except he abide in Christ Therfore as euer any man wold taste of life let him striue to bee in Christ and neuer let Christ depart from him not a foot breade Ye see in this reason the way to strait any man to belieue in Iesus Christ first thou who wouldest belieue in Christ hast a necessity laid on thee that thou leade an holy life thou must be changed thou must haue a new life otherwayes take thee thy doome thou shalt neuer see the face of God I pronoūce in the Name of the great God that if thou liue not an holy life in some measure thou shalt neuer see the face of God The Lord saith to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the Kingdome of God The next ground Without Christ Iesus there is no power to doe good without him thou canst not think a good thought without him thou art but a drie sticke without anie sappe Then I aske how can the Papistes who affirme that we haue free-will naturallie to doe good how can they I say perswade a man to belieue in Christ They deceiue the worlde Can this bee a good doctrine No I pronounce in the Name of the great God of Heauen Except a man denude himselfe of nature except hee stand vp naked and say Lord there is no power in me to anie good whatsoeuer hee shall neuer get Christ Except wee bee perswaded that without Christ we can doe nothing and that wee are but drie stickes the soule shall neuer cleaue till him But when the soule shall heare and knowe this then it shall runne with griedinesse to gripe him This for the first argument The next argument taken from good workes is in these words in the next verse I am the Vine tree and yee are the branches And if ye abide in mee yee will bring out much fruite They might aske Is it not possible to bring foorth fruite without thee Hee answereth Without mee yee can doe nothing The argument If ye abide in mee yee shall bring out much fruite Not onelie fruit but much fruite The longer a man bee in Christ the holier hee is Take vp another ground of fayth and an alluring argument to drawe the heart to Iesus Christ this is the ground That if a man would belieue in him they should not onelie be holie and leade an holie life but growe in holinesse This ground differeth from the other the former straiteth the soule as for this it is not a binding argument but a secret alluring argumēt If thou shalt belieue in Christ thou shalt abound in holinesse Whom moueth this Only those who see themselues withered and faine would haue that sappe of life in Iesus Christ Tell the soule who seeth the owne misery that and if it bee in Christ it shall liue and will get the sappe of life it will rejoyce it will not moue them who delite in a filthie and polluted life Marke our nature for the Lord knoweth it well and according to it he setteth down arguments in order there is not one but ere they come to Christ they must be straited and necessitie laid vpon their backe otherwayes we wil neuer seek to Christ because we are stubborn by nature That necessitie that was laid vpon Nicodemus must be told to vs all there is neuer one of vs but wee are straited with the same straite and when wee are straited this way except wee bee obstinate wee will run to Christ Next it is not enough to boast a man if there bee but boasting onelie there will bee no beliefe The Lord knewe this well and therefore hee subjoyneth to this a faire alluring argument Wee must not begin with faire words but we must strait men as they would liue to belieue in Christ and then come on with sweete promises If the Lord moue vs not with faire promises wee will bee obstinate for euer Surelie when a man seeth hee must doe such a thing and if hee doe it hee will get such a rewarde that hee shall bee filled with sappe to bring foorth an holie life well will hee say I see not onlie a necesitie to belieue but I see also that if I doe it I shall b◠made a fruitfull branch whereas I was but a rotten sticke to be casten into the fire and then he wil say to his soule My soule belieue in Christ and sticke vpon him and thou shalt see a blessed end Now another thing I gather I see heere hee counteth much of good works which he calleth fruits
God in Christ more than the tongue can tell Looke Ephes 3. vers 18.19 No Paul nor all the Apostles could not tell the loue that Christ beareth to men and women that are sinners and in this life we cannot be capable of it nor yet in the life to come when we shal haue a thousand times a greater sense for it is infinit then we shal bee astonished and wonder at it but wee shall bee filled with it there where God shall bee all in all Abide and walke in fayth till thou meet with him and thou shalt find this to be true Nowe I shall ende Lest they should haue thought that the loue they should beare to Christ should bee fectlesse and should bee closed in and smoared in the heart and not shine into world the Lord saieth If yee keepe my Commaundementes yee shall abide in my loue Thinke not that the loue of Christ can bee in the heart of a man or woman and then bee ydle and if wee loue a person wee must doe him good So if a man or woman loue Christ they will goe about night and daye to please him and to obey his blessed will and his Commaundementes And if a man haue no will to obeye God it is sure there is no loue in the heart Well I say thou who liuest not an holie life in that great daye that will testifie against thee that thou neuer louedst Iesus Christ So take heede our hand bee answerable to our profession of loue that good deedes maye followe it for if thou bee ydle thou hast no loue One thing I marke heere Vpon what grounde doeth our obedience to Christ arise The first ground the loue that a man beareth to Christ bringeth out obedience Yet there is an higher ground J haue loued you saieth Christ therefore abide in my loue The loue that Iesus Christ beareth to a sinner bringeth out that mutuall loue wee beare to him When yee see a man set to keepe the Commaundementes of God and blessed is that soule that so doeth I saye surelie yee may by all appearance conclude that that soule loueth Christ And farder surely it appeareth of this obedience that God loueth this person well and that is a better loue and a stronger ground than is all his loue to God and certainlie the Lord will loue that man exceeding well whome hee will imploy in his seruice Blessed is that creature whome the Lord will imploy in his seruice in this life whatsoeuer calling it be into and of all blessinges in this life there is the first when wee know the Lord hath chosen vs to such a turne and giue him thanks therefore 1. Timoth. Chap. 1. vers 12. Paul being imployed in that Ministerie saieth I thanke my God that hee hath counted me faithfull to imploy me in that Ministerie So blessed is the seruant who can serue Iesus Christ yea hee is more happie that can serue Iesus Christ than he were a King of the worlde whosoeuer serueth him whomsoeuer he imployeth in his seruice he shall giue him a rich rewarde Let this therefore bee the strife and endeuour of euery one of vs to serue him Nowe in the latter parte of the tenth verse to the end that they should shew that loue they bare to him by keeping his Commandementes hee layeth out his owne example As I sayeth hee haue kept the Commaundementes of my Father and abide in his loue that is Loue mee as I haue loued my Father the loue that I beare to my Father is obedience to him so bee ye obedient to mee if ye loue me So yee see Brethren hee layeth out his example of loue and obedience to his Father to bee followed by his Disciples Marke this The Lord Iesus is the liueliest example of loue and obedience that euer was or shall be in the world There was neuer such a loue as the Sonne bare to his Father neuer one so obedient as he wasâ— he obeyed his equall Philip. 2. vers 6.7.8 He being in the forme of God he thought it no robbery to be equall with God Yet hee thought it no shame to humble himself to become humble to the death of the Crosse Yea hee not onely submitted himselfe to his equall but also to his inferiours Hee washed his Disciples feete John 13. Hee humbled himselfe to the world to serue the world Rom. Chap. 15. vers 3. As the Lord is the true patterne of loue and obedience so is it needefull that his example bee aye laide out before our eyes for except wee see it there is not such a thing that any man can bee truely humbled to obey God for it is the obedience of Iesus Christ and fayth in him that reformeth the heart of a sinner and maketh of a proude heart an humbled heart and if thou take not a gripe of that Crosse by fayth thine heart shall abide vnreformed till it bee put into Hell The tongue of man is not able to tell what grace we haue in the obedience of Christ We haue not onely saluation and justification thorow his obedience but we haue also his obedience to learne vs what obedience wee should giue to him and what we should giue to God Learne at me to be humble sayth the Lord Matth. 11. vers 29. Marke another thing concerning this matter Whilest he is exhorting to loue and to the keeping of his Commandement hee giueth himselfe an example most liuely of that thing wherevnto hee exhorteth them This is a lesson for all others who teach into the Kirke of Christ whatsoeuer doctrine they teach let them not onely bee speakers but doers of that which they teach otherwayes they will destroy more with their life than they are able to build vp with their doctrine In the next verse hee concludeth all this and setteth downe the end of his exhortation These thinges haue I spoken to you thay my joye might abide in you and that your joye might bee full All is for your weale that ye may be replenished with joy all mine exhortations tend to your joy The end of Christ is joy indeed hee beginneth with a sadnesse and heauinesse Learne how yee shall come to him the first step by the which the sinner commeth to Christ is by repentance by the sight of sinne and that bringeth sadnesse vvith it but frae once the sinner hath gotten that sight of Christ then the heart is full of joy and departeth with joy and all the speach the Lord speaketh to a sinner is to put joye into the heart of the sinner whatsoeuer displeasure the sinner hath in the meane time yet all is for this that in the ende hee should rejoyce And the ende of the speaches hee speaketh to his Disciples exhorting them to that vnion and good workes and loue and obedience and societie and communion with Christ is joye Good workes bring joye in the ende The loue of Christ filleth the heart vvith joye there was neuer the like of it essay it and see
loue the Lord and thou shalt finde such a joye as the worlde knoweth not loue Christ and thou shalt haue a good conscience and a good conscience bringeth with it joye rest and peace So the ende of all is joye to the heart of a sinner the vnion with Christ bringeth with it an vnspeakeable joy Reade 1. John 1. vers 4. After he hath beene speaking of the communion with the Father and the Sonne hee subjoyneth These things write I vnto you that your ioye might bee full And if wee bee not in societie with that blessed Trinitie wee haue no matter of ioye and therefore we should euer striue to get a communion with that blessed Trinitie for therein standeth the happinesse of man Nowe to marke the wordes more narrowly hee tearmeth it first His joye then hee tearmeth it Their joye so it is both the ioye of Christ and also of his Disciples but in diuerse respectes It is the ioye of Christ because hee is the giuer of it all ioye proceedeth of Iesus Christ It is our ioye because it belongeth to vs and is giuen vs. So then what is the ioye of a Christian man Learne it heere It is nothing but the participation of that heauenly ioye that is in God God is full of ioye and his whole nature is ioye the ioye that one hath who belieueth in Christ is a part of that diuine nature 2. Epist of Peter Chap. 1. vers 4. of that ioye that passeth all vnderstanding there is the felicitie of man to get apart of that infinite ioye The Philosophers disputed much about the felicitie of man some of them placed it in pleasure the generall is not euill but here they failed that they placed it in a beastly pleasure Indeede it standeth in the participation of that ioye of God begun in this life and perfected in the Heauen when wee shall see Christ Iesus face to face The ioy we haue here is mingled with sorrow and for one ioyfull houre we haue aye ten sad but then all teares shall be wiped away from our eyes when God shall bee all in all and shall be filling the soules of his owne with ioye In the next verse hee commeth to the other grounde of good works The loue to man the first was the loue of God thinke not that thou canst doe a good thing and if thou loue not thy neighbour The wordes are This is my Commandement That yee loue one another as I haue loued you Loue will not stand on one side onely but it must bee mutuall otherwayes thou canst not stand in that societie either with God or with man Yee heard before this of the Lord If ye abide in my Commandements ye shall abide in my loue So the loue of Iesus Christ is to keep his Commandements This Commandement is not so much the CoÌ„mandement of the first Table as the CoÌ„mandement of the second Table The true touch-stone whereby is tried whether thou louest God or not in thine heart as is coÌ„manded in the first Table is the loue to thy neighbour which is coÌ„manded in the second Table so that if thou wilt stand vp say I loue God God will answere Louest thou thy neighbour if â—e find an hatred in thine heart to thy neighbour he will answere Thou louest me not Hee who hateth his neighbour hateth God Well let men continue on in murder wrongfull dealing stand vp say We loue God they lie Mark another thing there appears here a wonderfull loue the Lord beares to his members on earth no tong can expresse it That loue the creature would vtter to him he will haue it turned ouer on his members in the earth I meane not as though the Lord would haue none of our loue to himselfe or regarded it not so bade vs loue one another No for he deliteth exceedinglie to be loued by vs But that loue wee beare to him hee biddeth vs kythe it on his members and doe good to them And what is the cause that the Lord biddeth vs loue his members The Lord himselfe is perfect Our Head is full of all felicitie but as for the members they haue great need of things spirituall and temporal So the Head is not to bee benefited by vs but the best member though hee were a King hath neede to be holpen and the beggar may helpe him And so seeing He hath no need he turneth the benefite of our loue ouer to vs his members who haue need therof Dauid professeth this Psal 16. vers 2.3 Help me Lord he saith And lest the Lord should answere What good canst thou doe mee he meeteth this I cannot doe thee good my well-doing extendeth not to thee thou art all sufficient but Lord keepe mee to thy Sainctes on the earth howbeit my good cannot helpe thee yet Lord keepe me to thy Saincts Farder ye see he requireth mutuall loue for except loue be mutuall men cannot bee united the members of that body are conjoyned with loue albeit thou bee loued yet if thou loue not againe thou art not of the body When he hath exhorted them to loue one another hee setteth downe his owne example As I haue loued you euery one of you loue another Seeing hee loued them so well why should not they loue one another As before when he exhorted them to loue him that is to loue God hee laide downe before them his owne example so now hee exhorteth them to loue their neighbour by his example Wee learne by this the Lord Iesus is the liuely example of all true loue either to God or to man and the example of the loue of Christ is needefull to moue vs to loue man in this worlde so that except we sensibly find that loue of his in our heartes there shall bee no spunke of true loue to man in the heart for why all this loue we beare to God and to man ariseth vpon the feeling of that loue of Christ shed abroad in our hearts hee must warme our heartes by his loue and then shall arise the loue of God and of man Except a man feele that God loue him hee cannot loue for our loue is but a repercution of that loue wherewith hee striketh on our hearts Then in the next verse he layeth out the loue he bare to them in the owne greatnesse and that by comparison No man can haue a greater loue than this that he lay downe his life for his friend but I haue laide downe my life for you there yee see what a loue I beare to you The greatest token of loue in the worlde is when a man is content to lay downe his life for another Indeede it is a great token of loue when a tender friende will laye downe his life for his friend Rom. 5. vers 7. Scarcely will a man lay downe his life for the just but when a man will be content to giue his life for his enemy that is a greater token of loue there is not such a token
for the people so he being high Priest made intercession for his own people The intercession which the Lord made for his owne consisteth in two points to wit in prayer and in offering vp of a sacrifice Then as for the first part of this intercession when the Lord was in the world he prayed continually for the people hee neuer ceased night nor daye from prayer As for the other part of his intercession when he had bene in the world awhile at the last hee offereth vp that sweete Sacrifice of his owne body to the Father and so hee putteth an ende to all those sacrifices which were but types of him the true Sacrifice As for the Prayers whereby the Lord interceded betwixt God and man they were manie and made at sundry times But amongst all the rest it may bee easilie seene that this prayer in this Chapter was one of the moste excellent and so it hath pleased the holy Spirite to register this Prayer especially and to recommend it to the posteritie to the end of the worlde First this Prayer is no able in respect of the time in the which hee made it it was euen about that time when hee offered himselfe vp to the Father Next in respect of the vse it is notable because by this prayer he did consecrate and dedicate that blessed Sacrifice to the Father for sacrifices were dedicated to Goâ— by prayer Thirdly in respect of the subject and matter of it for as ye may see in the Chapter it selfe first the Lord prayeth for himselfe and for that eternall glory which he had with the Father from all eternity the fairest thing and the greatest matter that euer was was that which hee prayed for and this hee doeth in the first fiue Verses Then he commeth on and prayeth for his Disciples which he should leaue behinde him in the worlde that the Lord would take the custody of them after his Ascension vnto the Heauens and would preserue them from all perill and this hee doeth from the fifth Verse to the twenty And last hee prayeth for the whole Kirke for life euerlasting and justification and this he doeth to the ende of this Chapter So yee s ee it is a notable subiect Last of all will ye looke to the force of this Prayer yee shall see the excellencie of it The force was not for the present or for a time but the force of it abideth continually to the ende of the worlde And this same Prayer is a meane whereby all men and women who are safe and shall bee safe to the ende of the world obtaine saluation And so this Prayer may bee well called A ground wherevpon the Kirke standeth And as our saluation standeth on the Sacrifice of Iesus Christ so it standeth on that Prayer that was offered to his Father But to come to the Text When Jesus sayeth John the writer of the Gospel had spoken these thinges hee lifted vp his eyes to the Heauen and he said as followeth This is the entrie to the Prayer wherein Iohn first concludeth the Sermon which the Lord made to his Disciples When Iesus had spoken these thinges to his Disciples Then hee proponeth the Prayer that followeth Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen and said There is the proposition of the Prayer In the proposition he noteth narrowly the behauiour of Christ in his Prayer Hee lifted vp his eyes to Heauen So in the eleuenth Chapter of this Gospel he noteth this behauiour in praying when hee thanketh his Father that he heard him before he raise â— Lazarus from the dead he lifted vp his eyes to Heauen Nowe Brethren to speake of gesture in Prayer it needeth not much will ye reade the Scriptures yee shall reade these gestures to bee in prayer First Godly men haue humbled themselues before that Majesty It becommeth the best of vs all to bow vs before God They signified by the bowing of their knees the humbling of the heart Offer not if ye haue a proude heart to come before that Throne Then they were wont to haue their handes and their eyes lift vp to the Heauens that signified the lifting vp of the eye of the soule to God to looke to him and to see him thorowe all these cloudes and these visible heauens to come to that light that hath none accesse and this agreeth with the other There are many who shall see Heauen but with an humbled heart when the heart is humbled and brought lowe then it is conuoyed thorowe these heauens euen to that light of God It becommeth all Christians to bee humbled on their knees and to lift vp their eyes to Heauen but all standeth in the heart What recks of the outward disposition if the soule be not heauenly disposed If it haue a sense of Heauen then the outwarde gesture will followe then wee will bowe our knees and humble vs before that Maiesty An humbled heart will fall downe but a proude sinner who is not touched with a sense of his sinnes will hardly bow his knee Nowe wee come to the Prayer first hee maketh his petition for himselfe and why not the most precious thing in the worlde is the glory of Iesus Christ Hee sayeth Father glorifie thy Sonne There is his petition Marke the style it is a very warme and hearty stile that he giueth him speaking familiarly to God the heart of him warmeth sweetly with him and as a Sonne he calleth him Father The stile which he giueth him vttereth that he had a sense of that fatherly loue and affection towards him While as he nameth him Father hee vttereth that Sonly affection and loue that hee bare to him A Sonly loue craueth a Fatherly loue and conciliateth a Fatherly affection from Heauen Why should we not striue to be like the Lord Iesus and in Prayer chiefly Woulde any man or woman finde the Fatherly affection of God Would they haue that loue that Fathers beare to their Children Let them vtter in Prayer that affection that a Sonne or a Daughter shoulde haue to their Father If thou wouldest haue the Fatherly loue of God the sweetest thing in the worlde looke that the Names which thou gluest him testifie that thou louest him as a deare Childe loueth his Parentes and looke aye wee pray with that Spirite which is the Spirite of Adoption that testifieth to our soules that wee are adopted to bee the Sonnes and Daughters of God for it is that Spirite that giueth libertie to the heart and openeth the mouth and causeth thee as the Apostle sayeth to crie Abba Father And if thou haue not this holie Spirite of Adoption and if that Spirite open not thine heart and lowse thy tongue call him Father as thou wilt hee is nothing else to thee but a terrible Iudge to take vengeance on thee and thou art nothing els but a slaue to him and not a Sonne Looke aye therefore that thou haue that Spirite that shall testifie to thee that thou art not the childe of wrath
hee calleth him Holie for as hee loued him so hee reuerenced him Holinesse craueth reuerence And that holie God what reuerence ought hee to haue Hee should not bee named nor thought on but with reuerence of the heart Then hee sayeth And keepe them in thy Name that is by thy diuine power This worde riseth on a confidence of a wonderfull power in the Father that hee was able to defende and keepe them in none other Name but in his owne Nowe looke the disposition of the heart of Iesus Christ In praying the heart is disposed with a wonderfull reuerence and loue to his Father And Brethren I count this argument of all the argumentes that yee haue hearde howbeit they were verie manie mightie and strong this same disposition of the heart I say to bee one of the most forciblest to mooue the Father The inwarde disposition of the heart of the Lord Iesus in loue and reuerence is moste forcible to mooue the Father to keepe his Disciples Looke in prayer to the disposition of thine heart for when wee praye to God what do we all argumentes Wherefore auaileth it to heape on argumentes to mooue God if thou hast no good disposition in thine heart in prayer Wherefore vsest thou wordes when thou hast an vnbelieuing heart and when thou hast no loue nor reuerence nor no confidence in God And then againe when the heart of man or woman is well disposed in praying with an holie affection to God in Iesus Christ with a reuerence and with a confidence in him then fewe wordes and fewe argumentes will serue It is better to haue fewe wordes in praying with loue and faith and with an holie disposition than to praye all the daye without the inwarde disposition James sayeth Chap. 5. vers 16. The prayer of a faithfull man auaileth much if it bee seruent He sayeth not If hee vse manie reasons or wordes but if hee haue a zeale to the glorie of God in prayer then it is acceptable This is knowne by experience they who knowe the disposition of the heart they will account more of it than of all the worlde So yee see this disposition in the heart of Iesus Christ is the chiefe argument to mooue the Father hee had no sinne in him his heart was cleane and his loue was perfect without anie mixture of hatred or anie other sinfull infirmitie All our affection our loue and our confidence is full of sinne and all is troubled in our heartes and if wee gette anie libertie it is but small Alace this is the foulenesse of our soule but well is that soule that getteth anie loue or anie confidence or anie reuerence c. Nowe to come to the affection to them for whome the Lord prayeth J praye euen for them whome thou hast giuen mee No question when hee sayeth Whome thou hast giuen mee hee taketh them into his heart hee imbraceth them into the affection of the heart the affection gripeth to them when as hee calleth them his No if the Lord Iesus call thee his hee will take thee into his heart and his affection will gripe thee Nowe certainelie as the affection to his Father was a great argument in the sight of the Father so when wee praye to God for others the affection towardes others is a great argument to mooue God And as wee respect the one hauing a zeale and an affection to God so wee should respect the other hauing true loue towardes others Looke that thine heart hate not the person of him for whome thou prayest otherwayes thou scornest God in thy prayer and when thou prayest for anie looke that thou loue that person for the loue of God and the loue of the person for whome thou prayest is aye joyned together If thou louest not the person for whome thou prayest it is sure thou louest not God Farder it is to bee considered heere that since the beginning of this prayer this argument is oft repeated Them whome thou hast giuen mee This is the thirde time that it is repeated The first is in these wordes J haue declared thy Name vnto the men which thou gauest mee out of the worlde And then I praye not for the worlde but for them whome thou hast giuen mee And againe Holie Father keepe them in thy Name euen them whome thou hast giuen mee c. Hee hath not so often repeated anie other argument as this They are thy Chosen they are called by the preaching of the Gospel but hee hath doubled and tripled this argument there is some grounde of this this must bee the moste speciall thing that mooued the LORD to praye for his Disciples because they were giuen to him and the Father had concredited them vnto him and put them into his handes And therefore hee letteth it neuer goe out of his heart that the Father had giuen them vnto him Father sayeth hee thou hast giuen them vnto mee therefore Father keepe them There is not a faythfull man or woman but if GOD will concredite anie to their care and protection the moste speciall thing that will mooue them to haue a care of them is That GOD hath concredited them vnto them Therefore they will praye vnto GOD for them And euen by the contrarie they who haue not a respect to them who are concredited vnto them for this cause that GOD hath put such persons into their handes to prouide for them that person sayeth the Apostle Paul is worse than an Infidell That person who hath gotten a Familie to care for and neglecteth it is worse than an Infidell So this shoulde mooue vs to care for others because the LORD hath concredited them vnto vs And in the daye of Iudgement it shall bee asked at thee Where is the care that thou hadst of them whome I concredited vnto thy charge And then terrible shall it bee for them who haue neglected those whome the LORD hath giuen vnto them As hee vseth this argument to mooue the Father so the Father must haue a care on that which hee hath giuen to CHRIST And that person that will take care of their Familie or of the Kirke or Common-wealth the LORD shall meete him and haue a care ouer him So that whosoeuer hath gotten the charge of soules or of Families or of Common-wealthes they shoulde haue a care ouer them for let bee that it is vngodlie not to bee carefull it is an vnnaturall thing Woe to the men that will runne out and drinke and leaue their Familie and runne and rashe and fill themselues and haue no care of them whom GOD hath put vnder their handes Woe to them that runne and leaue their Kirke Woe to that man that hath no care ouer them that GOD hath concredited vnto his charge Hee sayeth That they may bee one as wee are one Keepe them that they may bee like vs. No all our blessednesse is to bee like the Father the Sonne and that Holie Spirite Wherein standeth it It standeth in an vnitie to wit
knowledge of the SONNE I haue knowne thee And then hee commeth forwarde They haue knowne that thou hast sent mee And then I haue manifested thy Name vnto them What is the ground of our knowledge in this life The knowledge of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God which he hath of the Father What if hee had not knowne the Father Wee would neuer haue gotten a sight of God For why All the knowledge that wee haue is by the reuelation of the Sonne of God hee is not borne on the face of the Earth that hath or euer shall gette the sight of God but by the reuelation of the Sonne So manie as the Sonne reuealed him vnto gotte the sight of the Father But on the contrarie whome to the Sonne reuealed not the Father hee gotte neuer nor neuer shall gette a sight of him First the Sonne knoweth and then the Sonne reuealed that knowledge vnto vs in some measure What is the knowledge that the Sonne hath reuealed vnto vs Reuealeth hee vnto vs the Father immediatelie No no The first thing that the Sonne reuealeth to vs is his own person the first sight that thou must see is the Sonne and therefore when hee speaketh of their knowledge hee sayeth They haue knowne that thou hast sent mee And then hee commeth to the other knowledge the knowledge of the Father J haue made manifest thy Name vnto them The first thing that the Sonne of God reuealeth is the knowledge of himselfe That hee is that Ambassadour and that Mediatour And when hee hath reuealed himselfe then hee reuealeth the Father And all the sight that we haue of the Father is in the person of the Sonne for hee is the splendor of his glorie and the expresse forme of his Father and hee by his holie Spirite illuminateth the soules of men and women to gette a sight of that Majestie So the ground of our knowledge is the knowledge that the Sonne hath of the Father Therefore as euer thou wouldest haue the sight of that knowledge addresse thy selfe to Iesus Christ and in him thou shalt see the Father and his glorious face and thou shalt see that glauncing and shining of mercie in him Now he is not content to set down that knowledge which they haue already but he promiseth that they shall haue it farther Yee see then the Disciples got not the knowledge of the Father in a moment and at once but the Disciples of Iesus Christ euen the Apostles whom the Lord appointed to bee instruments of grace to vs whose works we haue and who were the light of the world grew in knowledge and faith piece and piece and had not all reâ—ealed at once but by his word and Spirit piece and piece GOD reuealed all to them The knowledge of God is not gotten in an instant in this worlde and the Lord himselfe who is the giuer of that knowledge he giueth it to no man nor woman in an instant but piece and piece the man or the woman groweth in knowledge so long as wee are clogged with this mortalitie so long the knowledge of God shall neuer bee perfect Therefore let euerie man if hee haue a pleasure to seeke God trie that grouth that hee hath in knowledge That is a vaine soule and a miserable soule which will stand vp and say I haue knowledge enough I will goe no farther Knowledge must haue a grouth in this worlde Woe is that man that will saye I will set downe my staffe as though hee would haue no more knowledge Thou wist neuer what joye was in the knowledge of God who wilt saye thus if thou hadst a loue of it thine heart would seeke to gette the full knowledge of God for that heart will not bee content of a meane measure of knowledge but goeth forwarde from knowledge to knowledge Seeing it is Life as the Lord sayeth This is Life eternall to knowe thee and whome thou hast sent IESVS CHRIST If once thou tastedst of that knowledge of God in Iesus Christ thou wouldest neuer saye I will set downe my staffe Let aye a continuall strife bee to knowe more and more till this fayth bee turned into sight when wee shall meete with our Lord Iesus Christ then wee shall gette that sweete and joyfull sight to see him face to face therefore let vs not rest till wee gette that full illumination Another thing is to bee marked heere Whome once the Lord hath begunne to instruct man or woman hee leaueth not off If Christ beginne to teach thee by his Spirite hee teacheth not as men will teach who will teach this yeere and leaue off the next yeere But if hee take a man or a woman in hande continuallie hee teacheth them And if this bee true that continuallie hee reuealeth and teacheth that is also true there is no man nor woman who hath begunne to gette knowledge by his teaching but that man or woman must growe and cannot goe backe It is a vaine thing to saye A man or a woman who hath gotten true fayth in some measure although it were no greater than a graine of Mustard-seede that hee can lose the fayth which hee hath once gotten As Iesus Christ cannot rest in thy soule but aye goe forwarde till fayth bee turned into sight so I saye thus to refute those who say that they who haue gotten true fayth can lose it hee that hath gotten the holie Spirite can neuer lose him When hee hath sette downe before the Father first his knowledge of the Father and secondlie the knowledge that the Disciples had of the Father partlie that which they had presentlie and partlie that which was to come nowe hee commeth to the ende and sayeth All this is to the ende That thy loue may bee in them and I in them All this knowledge of God and all this fayth in Iesus Christ looke to the ende of it all tendeth to this ende That God may loue vs and wee may feele in our heartes this loue of God Therefore Brethren marke it well Count not of knowledge euen of the knowledge of God except that thou feelest the loue of God following vpon it looke that all thy knowledge of God bee with a sense and feeling of this loue that God loueth thee Whereto serueth the knowledge of God vnto thee if thou haue no sense and no feeling of the loue of God Some men and vvomen will glorie that they knowe this and that and thus farre of God and in the meane time they take no heede to that sense of the loue of God in the heart I had rather haue a little knowledge with the sense of that loue wherewith hee loueth mee than all the knowledge vnder the Sunne if mine heart bee voyde of that sweete loue Count neuer of the knowledge of God although thou hadst all the Scripture perâ—uiere if thou findest not this loue flowing from that knowledge and a sweetnesse and joye in thine heart arising of this loue And aye the more wee know the greater should
bee the sense of the loue of God Therefore let vs striue to feele the sense chiefelie of that mercie and that loue and then our knowledge shall bee joyfull and pleasant vnto vs. But heere I aske a question Beganne God to loue vs then onelie when wee beganne to knowe him Beganne not God to loue euerie one of vs before wee knewe him Appearinglie in this place as it would seeme hee maketh the loue of God to beginne and flowe of the knowledge of God The aunswere is easie Looke the wordes hee sayeth That thy loue may bee in them It is true from all eternitie ere euer wee were in the worlde I speake of the Chosen hee loued vs and of loue hee choosed vs and hee loued vs after wee came into the worlde When wee were enemies to him hee loued vs. But marke againe Brethren The loue of God is neuer in vs but without vs till wee knowe him and haue fayth in Iesus Christ That is the meaning Neuer one feeleth in their heart that God loueth them but hee who knoweth God Hee loueth thee but thou feelest it not till thou hast gotten knowledge and then when thou hast gotten knowledge thou beginnest to feele it and to haue a sense of that loue in thine heart And this is it that the Apostle sayeth Rom. 5. vers 5. The loue of God is shed abroade in our heartes through that holie Spirite which is giuen vs. Before wee gette that knowledge there is no shedding abroade of that loue in the heart But when thou gettest the knowledge of God and fayth in Iesus Christ then thou feelest that loue with a sweetnesse and joye vnspeakeable Experience may tell vs this Thou that hast not gotten fayth in Iesus Christ at anie time and knowest not God I appeale thy conscience if euer thou hast felt the loue of God Sayest thou that thou feelest Gods loue I dare saye that thou feelest it not And by the contrarie when men and women knowe God and finde fayth in Iesus Christ from whome all grace floweth and distilleth into our soules they shall finde in experience with the knowledge such a sweete sense of loue that the tongue of man nor Angel cannot expresse And therefore as euer thou wouldest feele the loue of God What pleasure canst thou haue without that sense as euer thou wouldest haue joye and comfort in thine heart in the middest of the miseries of this world learne to know God assuring thy selfe that before thou get the sight and knowledge of God in Iesus Christ thou shalt neuer get the sense of loue Striue to see God haue faith in Iesus Christ and the farther sight thou gettest of him thy delight shall bee to pierce in more and more into the mysterie of thy saluation and I promise thee in his Name that sense and feeling shall increase and the more thou seest and knowest the more thou shalt feele that loue of God So wouldest thou haue joye and comfort striue to see Christ and thinke not that thou canst see enough Now would to God wee had the halfe of that desire to looke into the face of Iesus Christ that we haue of worldly things For al our blessednes and comfort standeth in this to look into the face of Iesus Christ that the beams which strike out from him may shine in our souls In the last words he sayth And I in them He commendeth this presence of the loue of God in their harts by the presence of Christ himselfe who accompanieth it as if hee had sayde So shall it bee seene if thy loue bee in them that I am in them These two are inseparable Companions the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne in the heart Is the loue of the Father in thine heart Then IESES CHRIST is there And by the contrarie is IESVS CHRIST into thine heart then the loue of the Father is into thine heart these two goe inseparable together and where the one lodgeth the other must bee there also Blessed are they that feele the loue of God for Christ is with them in their heartes for one grace draweth on another And if thy God loue thee the glorious Spirite shall bee with thee A question here may bee moued There are two Companions heere the loue of the Father and the presence of the Sonne but which of them is first Whether is the presence of the Sonne or the loue of God in thine heart first I answere Howbeit they bee in thine heart together in one moment of time yet the one in order is before the other And first Iesus Christ taketh possession in thine heart ere the loue of the Father bee in thine heart And because Iesus Christ is entered into thine heart therefore the loue of the Father is into thine heart Before Christ came into thine heart there was neuer grace in it all the grace all the peace and all the joy and all the comfort that is in the heart of a sinner followeth on Christ Christ commeth first and then all grace commeth in after him Hee is neuer him alone but peace joye and gladnesse accompany him then followeth that joye when hee commeth Looke Rom. 5. vers 5. hee telleth vs this order when hee hath said Because when wee were enemies Christ died for vs Because Christ died for thee hee loued thee And thinkest thou that thou wouldest feele that loue of God if Christ had not died for thee and except thou imbrace in thine heart that death by a liuelie fayth Goe to experience What is hee or shee that will feele that loue of God that endlesse comfort or that peace or joye who belieueth not in Iesus Christ It shall passe thy power to feele anie joye before thou feele that Christ died for thee Therefore I beseech thee gripe greedilie to Iesus Christ that hee may dwell in thine heart Nowe yee may aske at mee Howe is Christ in the heart Is not Christ bodilie present at the right hand of the Father How then sayeth hee And I in them Howe can thine heart gette him vvho is in Heauen The answere is easie The Lord Iesus dwelleth in the heart of man and woman by fayth Belieuest thou in him Reacheth thine heart thorowe the Heauens to get a gripe of him If thou belieue as Paul sayeth Ephes 3. vers 17. Christ dwelleth in thee if thine heart bee set on him and if thou belieue that hee died and is risen for thee thou hast him dwelling in thee And thinke yee Brethren that CHRIST can bee in any man or woman but they feele him No where CHRIST is hee is liuing in the heart and that is a glorious life If hee bee in thine heart by fayth there hee is liuing and as hee is liuing in thee so shall hee make thee to liue another life than this life hee shall make thee to liue an Heauenlie and Spirituall life as the Apostle PAVL saith in the second CHAPTER to the GALATIANS and the twentieth VERS I liue no more sayeth hee it is not I that liueth I am dead but IESVS CHRIST liueth in mee And what more The life that I liue in the fleshe and in this mortall bodie I liue it by fayth in the Sonne of GOD who hath loued mee and giuen his owne selfe for mee Is IESVS CHRIST in thine heart by fayth looke the effectes first thou art dead this mortall life is mortified the olde man is slaine If IESVS CHRIST bee in thee hee will slaye this sinfull life for our life naturallie is but a pudling in sinne and wickednesse when hee liueth within thee hee beareth the rule and not the olde man And what more As hee liueth within thee so hee giueth thee another life an Heauenlie and a glorious life Hee beginneth within thee that life which thou shalt liue with him in the Heauens where there is no more mortalitie nor no corruption So all tendeth to this Wouldest thou haue life wouldest thou haue grace in thine heart wouldest thou feele that vnspeakeable loue in thy vaine heart For that is a vaine heart which is not reformed and lieth dead in sinne and is not reuiued and quickened with the life of IESVS CHRIST Wouldest thou haue all this in this life and in that life euerlasting In a worde Wouldest thou reigne in glorie Striue to gette IESVS CHRIST in thine heart and when thou hast gotten him keepe him well and if once thou gettest him thou shalt gette one of the moste glorious thinges that euer was euen the loue of the Father wherein is all sweetnesse That loue of the Father shall flowe downe to thee and with the same loue wherewith the Father loueth the Sonne the Father of IESES CHRIST shall loue thee Well howe commeth all grace vnto vs Euen by IESVS CHRIST the Father powreth on all grace vpon the Sonne our Head Nowe hee bieng the Head and wee the bodie that precious ointment and fulnesse of all grace which is on him floweth downe on vs. So that grace is first powred out on the Sonne thine Head and then it floweth from the Head to the members so that there is not one member of that bodie but it getteth a share though it were neuer so sober a member and if it were but a foote Nowe blessed is hee or shee that is a member of that bodie And blessed is the soule that hath in it the loue of the FATHER in IESVS CHRIST To whom with the FATHER and the Holy SPIRIT bee all Honour and Prayse for euermore AMEN ΤΩ ΘΕΩ ΔΟΞΑ A H
through the Ministerie of the Apostles should bee liuing to the ende of the worlde That the Lord would blesse them and by his prouidence guarde them And so both the matter of the Sermone and Prayer is wonderous excellent and in them both wee may see not onelie Diuine knowledge foreseeing and fore-telling those thinges that were to come to passe which if hee had beene onelie man hee could neuer haue done but also a loue vnspeakable and more than wonderfull in that when the wrath of God was persuing him for the sinnes of the Elect when the bitter Cuppe of the Passion was to be propined vnto him when the terroures of Death were nowe before his eyes when Sathan and all the power of darknesse was nowe to assaile him when all rankes of men were to raile vpon him and all his owne were to bee offended at him when Peter should denie him Herode should mocke him Pontius Pilate should condemne him in a manner hee was forgetfull of all those thinges that should come to himselfe and mindfull alwayes to offer joye and consolation vnto his owne Nowe this matter so excellent haue manie learned and godlie men comfortablie and fruitfullie handeled and amongst the rest that famous and worthie Minister of Iesus Christ in the Kirke of EDINBVRGH M. ROBERT ROLLOK of happie memorie for his painfull and comfortable trauels therein and for his manifolde other graces deserueth to bee praysed with the first For hee was a man whom God beautified with manie rare gifts and graces and whome the Lord made manie wayes to bee steadable to his Kirke his vntimelie death when the Lord first called him did manie lament and when their teares were spent they entertained dolour and griefe in their heartes Yea euen nowe the faythfull seriouslie considering these dayes of decaye wherein that Antichristian rabble set themselues to smoare the Trueth and to bring in darknesse againe and wherein by some Religion is mocked and disdained and some are content with a bare showe and outward profession without power and vigour thereof and a life answering therevnto are compelled to sigh for the great wound and losse that the Kirke suffered as in the death of manie others so namelie in the death of that most faythfull man of GOD. Through his death this Citie lost a good Citizen the Flocke a good Pastor the Colledge a good Rector his Brethren a faythfull Fellow-labourer wandering sinners a wise guide and in a worde what sorte of people found not some losse and had not their interesse in his death Who was more carefull than hee to haue GOD glorified Who walked more carefullie with GOD Who was more crucified to the worlde Who was more seuered from all entangling worldlie pleasures and commodities Who more had their conuersation in Heauen Who more carefull to gaine soules to the Kingdome of GOD publicklie and priuatelie by voyce and by penne by worde and by writ at home and abroade aliue and dead And his conuersation was so answâ—rable to his profession and calling that the verie malicious Aduersaries and enemies themselues could not nor durst not charge him with anie imputation But wee neede not Syr to prayse him vnto you who knew him so well and who was so familiarlie conuersant with him and his wordes doe speake sufficientlie to others who knew him not Nowe Syr thâ—se his LECTVRES wee graunt are not so absolute as manie would require and wee our selues would wish for neither deliuered hee them of purpose that they should see the light neither sawe hee them euer after hee had deliuered them neither did his Schollers receiue them from his mouth on the purpose but onelie for the helping of their owne memories And yet wee trust that such as regarde more matter in edification than delicate language and plauâ—ible wordes shall finde no small comfort in perusing of them For not onelie for the duetie wee ought to the Author our louing Master but also for your cause and earnest request to whome wee are so much obliged haue wee taken some yea no small paines heerein as they who are accustomed with such cases may easilie consider that his owne matter might bee sette downe in his owne phrase and stile so neare as possiblie wee could that with the greater liking and approbation they might bee perused by such as seeke â—o bee edified And so much the more carefull were wee heerein because wee found that his other LECTVRES published by vs before as on the COLOSSIANS THESSELONIANS and other seuerall Textes of Scripture and narâ—lie the Lectures last published vpon the Passion and Resurrection euer receiued with great liking and contentment of manie who acknowledge themeselues to bee greatlie edified thereby Nowe Syr these last LECTVRES and our laboures therein wee present vnto you to bee published abroade vnder your protection because moste justlie in all respectes they belong vnto you For first fewe are ignorant howe louing and alwayes beneficiall you were to the Author himselfe from the first time yee knewe him euen to the houre of his death and thereafter to his Wife and nowe you continue the same kindnesse to his posthume Daughter Next as while hee liued hee acknowledged and professed himselfe to bee mâ—re oblieged to you than to anie so at the houre of his death in his latter Will hee ordained that whatsouer of his workes thereafter should see the light should come out in your Name that where his workes were read your deseruinges might bee knowne and that they who gotte fruite of them might also esteeme of you and giue you thankes therefore Thirdlie for the great Paines Exspences and Trauelles that yee haue bestowed in making them to come to the light For by you they were gathered in from the handes of SCHOLLERS that wrote them and by your exspenses they were written ouer and ouer againe without you they had neuer beene reuised and corrected without you they had not beene made meet for the PRESSE Fourthly because as the Lord hath blessed you with many worldly comforts with an honorable estaâ—e good account in the worlde so hath hee indued you with graces of his Spirit inwardlie with true Pietie and Religion in the soule and outwardlie with an answerable profession and practise thereof vttered in the true loue which yee carrie to all Gods Children and namelie to those who carrie the Message of reconciliation in helping and furthering them both priuatelie and publikelie according to your power And finallie wee dedicate our laboures heerein to you as a testimonie that wee acknowledge our selues to bee manie wayes debt-bound to you for your vndeserued kindnesse vttered so manie wayes towardes vs and continuing so long without alteration Nowe the Lord who is infinite in mercie whose loue is constant without alteration and endlesse who hath hitherto giuen you plentifullie and aboundantlie manifolde tokens of his loue both for the vse of the bodie and this transitorie life and also for the weale and comfort of your soule in this your
Christ was obedience to the Father When a man doeth a thing willingly because it is the will of God offereth vp his life willingly and dieth willingly there is obedience But let him die ten thousand deaths if he doe it not willingly it is none obedience I suppone that the Son of God had not suffered willingly wee would haue had no saluation the obedience standeth not only in suffering but in that he died so gladly suffered so willingly with such a loue to powre out his life for the world as yee may reade in the 53. Chap. of Esay Hee was like a Lambe before the Shearers So when wee looke to the death of Christ let vs not looke to his death so much as to his patience willingnesse In the last verse the Lord setteth downe the ende of his suffering wherefore he putteth himselfe into the handes of the executers I doe this that the worlde may know that I loue the Father This is the end Wee see first in this end the ground of the obedience and suffering of Iesus Christ What needed him to be so obedient and to deject himselfe so farre Yee may take it vp in one worde All this obedience proceeded of an vnspeakeable loue he bare to the Father It is true the loue of the saluation of man moued the Lord to this obedience also no doubt and this vnspeakeable loue moued him to giue his life for them But marke yet this place letteth vs see the chiefe ground of his obedience was not the loue of the world but the loue of the Father Paul 2. Philipp 5.6.7.8 speaking of the obedience of Iesus Christ letteth vs see and pointeth out that humiliation of Christ as proceeding of that loue he bare to the Father Let that affection sayth he be in you that was in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with God but hee manited himselfe and made himselfe of no reputation in taking vpon him the shape of a seruant and in that shape hee became obedient to the Father to the death of the Crosse That obedience then flowed from the loue he bare to the Father Yee would thinke it a great matter to two kinges the one of them as great as the other if one woulde serue the other in a worldly seruice yee woulde thinke it a great loue the one bare to the other The Lord Iesus being equall with the Father in glory humbled himselfe to the Father What followed on this obedience As hee dejecteth himselfe thorow loue to obey the Father so the Father loueth him vnspeakeably Paul 2. Philipp vers 9.10.11 letteth vs see the effect of this loue hee exalteth him to a wonderfull sublimitie and hee giueth him a Name aboue all the names of the worlde That at the Name of IESVS all thinges in Heauen and in Earth and vnder the Earth should bow their knee or else if they will not bow they should bee broken Now Brethren to draw this example to our selues wee haue this lesson to learne What is the ground of true humilitie I speake not of fained humilitie but of true lowlinesse which is the best vertue in a Christian man Learne of mee sayeth Christ that I am humble and lowly in heart Matth. 11.29 not only of obedience to Superiors for Christ biddeth thee bee obedient and seruiceable not onely to Superiors and equals but to inferiors and each one to another What is the ground of this humilitie Euen the loue of the heart and a man haue true loue in the heart hee will not care how lowlie he be in the world So when ye see a sober Christian point him out and say There is a louing hearted Christian Would yee knowe what followeth on humilitie and lowlinesse Obedience What followeth vpon obedience They who in loue humble themselues to exalt others and obey them shall find that God will meet them with loue and exalt them Wherein standeth the band of loue When euery one preferreth another to himselfe Heerein standeth humilitie humilitie beginneth with loue and endeth with loue By the contrarie What is the ground of pride A foolish selfe-loue when a man taketh pleasure in his owne corruptions and hath a conceit of himselfe and an hatred and disdaining of others Wherewith is it met With a mutuall hatred and disdaine That man who is proude stinketh both in Gods nose and mans and as humility intertaineth peace amongst men so pride breaketh the amitie and loue and rents the body of Christ so that pride is the most vnseemly thing in any man and it is a note of them who perteine not to Christ Striue euer to be like Christ in being humble and haue loue in thine heart But what is the chiefe ende of the suffring of Christ Iesus and of his humiliation The Lord sets it down in these words That the world may know that the Sonne loueth the Father Indeed this is one end yea the chiefest which we should all consider Another is that we may know that Iesus Christ hath loued vs. Looke in thorowe the body of Christ into the heart looke not to the nailes and to the woundes of his side but to that heart of his and chiefely to that infinit loue that the Sonne hath borne to the Father Thou mayst say What aduantage is it to mee to know that obedience of the Sonne to the Father and that loue When thou seest that Sonne of God equal with the Father how hee humbled himself so lowly that no creature in Heauen or in earth Angel or man euer humbled himselfe so as the Sonne It serueth thee to this ende to learne thee who is a creature and who is but a seruant to humble thy selfe before God and to glorifie thy God And indeede albeit there be many thinges to moue vs to humilitie yet and a man get not the sight of that humiliation of Iesus Christ he shall neuer be truely humbled Paul in his second Chap. to the Philipp to stirre vs vp to humilitie he bringeth in the example of the humilitie of the Sonne to the Father Ye will aske Haue we any profit of this that we be humbled to the Father Hast thou no profit in glorifying God Neuer one serued such a Master and neuer one got such a glory as they shall get who glorifie God Was Christ exalted highly Thou shalt bee also exalted I aske then Wherein standeth thy misery and wherein standeth thine happinesse There is the only joy that the creature hath when it hath humbled it selfe to the Father it obeyeth him it glorifieth the great God the Creator And herein standeth the happinesse of man euen to haue his heart loosed to glorifie the Lord The godly finde this in experience And by the contrary when the faythfull soule is locked vp and hath no pleasure to glorifie God for his graces albeit it had neuer so great aboundance of all things in the world yet it counteth the selfe to be in great misery Paul
owne example to them to mooue them to loue The greatnesse of his loue to them hee setteth downe in comparison I layde downe my life for you then there cannot bee a greater loue than that I beare to you And lest they should doubt of his friendship Yee are my friendes sayeth hee and therefore my death appertaineth vnto you And lest that friendship shoulde seeme to stande in worde onelie hee subjoyneth a condition Keepe my Commaundement if ye would be my friendes In this Text we haue read in the beginning thereof it might haue bene said by the Disciples they were rather to be called seruants than friends The Lord meeteth this and sayth Hencefoorth call I you not servantes for why this is the condition of a seruant he knoweth not the will of his Master the Master will not call him to his counsell but I whatsoeuer thing I haue heard of my Father being in the bosome of the Father I haue reuealed it to you and therefore I call you friendes The meaning of the Text is easie I obserue this It is true indeed the Disciples of Iesus Christ they were seruants and will bee seruantes to him foreuer If yee will seeke the ground of it it is not onely the creation for the creature is a seruant all the Angels of Heauen are creatures therefore seruants but the chiefe grounde why they were seruants was by vertue of that redemption When they were solde to sinne and to the Deuill the Lord payed for them a precious ransome Rom. 14. vers 9. The Lord died for vs and reuiued and all to this ende that hee should haue dominion ouer the quicke and the dead and bee Lord ouer them whom hee hath redeemed 2. Corin. 5. vers 15. Paul sayeth Considering the Lord hath died for me and risen from hencefoorth I will not liue to my selfe but to Christ So thus the Apostles were seruantes to Christ another way also they were his seruantes by their calling were they not Ambassadours of Christ Nowe an Ambassadour is aye a seruant to him who sendeth him The Apostles of Christ were seruants by creation by redemption and by vocation But by this manner and kind of seruice that they are seruants by redemption and vocation they are not seruants only but friends Whosoeuer they be that are redeemed by the blood of Iesus Christ they are not onely seruantes but friendes they sit in counsell with the Lord whome the Lord hath redeemed they get leaue to come in to the Chamber of the Bridegrome And as Iohn the Baptist sayth Chap. 3. vers 29. As friendes to the Bridegrome they stand in the Bridegromes Chamber and heare him and rejoyce they heare him sweetly Yea hee counteth vs more than friendes the Lord maketh vs his Brethren They are Sonnes of adoption and as they are Sonnes they get the Spirit of adoption testifying to them that they are Brethren Rom. 8. vers 15. They crie Abba Father But yee will aske Wherefore is it then that the Lord will not call them seruants but friendes I answere The Lord hath respect of the common sort of seruantes or rather of slaues In those dayes the Masters communicated not their counsell to them but commanded them vnder such a paine to doe their will Hee respecteth this and hee denieth such seruitude to his Disciples It is true in this world there are not onlie seruants that are brethren to the Lord but the Lord hath manie slaues men and women 2. Timoth Chap. 2. vers 20. In a great house there are not onlie vessels of golde and siluer but also of wood and of leame some to honour some to dishonour All this world is the House of the Lord and in this worlde hee hath some seruantes in an honourable ranke and manie slaues yea moe than seruantes who are free the world is full of slaues Now these slaues they are bound to seruice by vertue of creation so is the Deuill As for the redemdtion these slaues haue no part of it and so it followeth that hauing no part of that redemption they haue no friendship with him and being no friendes they are no brethren they gette not that blessed Spirite but that Spirite which in the eight Chapter to the Romanes is called the Spirite of bondage and slauerie which maketh them to feare for vengeance They serue Christ but all that seruice is euill they are murthering men they committe adulterie their mouthes are full of blasphemie all their seruice is to euill and it is but the breaking of the Lordes Commaundement yet it is his seruice In the second Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles and the thirteenth verse and Chap. 4. vers 28. The Deuill and all his instruments can doe nothing but that thy hand hath ordained The Lord hath decreed all to be done they shall gette their rewarde for doing The Disciples were free seruants of the Lord as for slaues they were not Seeing all must bee his seruantes wee ought carefullie to consider what sort of vessels and in what ranke of seruantes wee are The Apostle Paul when hee hath tolde of this difference whereof wee shewe in the great house in the second Epistle of Timothie Chap. 2. vers 30. hee subjoyneth a token whereby a man shall know whether hee bee a vessell of honour or dishonour Men shall well know whether they bee ordained to slauerie or not Looke if they bee cleansed from the filth of this worlde looke if they be sanctified vessels to work good in the house of the Lord and if thou bee a foule vessell who can doe no good saye with thy selfe I haue no warrand that I haue to doe with the Lord Iesus and saye that thou art a vessell to destruction And blessed is that soule that feeleth some piece of desire with joye to doe well for they haue a warrande that they are vessels of honour and that they shall bee in Heauen with the LORD So sanctification is the most infallible token of our election and justification Whereas hee sayeth All thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you I marke this That Christ who came out of the bosome of his Father reuealed to his Disciples the whole counsell of God concerning the saluation of the worlde which the Apostles preached thereafter fully to the worlde for the holy Spirit called all thinges to their remembrance which they had heard of the Lord Iohn 14. vers 26. And Paul Act. 20. vers 27. professeth that he had kept nothing backe but hee had shewed them all the counsell of God It may be asked whether all thinges that Christ himselfe preached and that the Apostles thereafter preached bee fully set downe in writ I answere All things according to the matter and substance albeit not in as many wordes are left in register and wee affirme That if Christ himselfe were here present hee would say no more write no more change nor alter nothing according to the substance In the next verse
but that thou art bought with the blood of Iesus Christ and when thou feelest that Spirite within thee thou shalt finde most sweete and comfortable motions yea motion vpon motion rising in thine heart As hee calleth him Father so hee calleth himselfe his Sonne hee sayeth not Father glorifie mee but Father glorifie thy Sonne Euen as the first stile conciliateth the loue of the Father to the Sonne so this stile reconciliateth the loue of the Sonne to the Father So Brethren let all the stiles wee vse in prayer to God sauour of the loue we haue to God whether wee name God or call him Father let that stile smell of that sonly loue we beare to God or whether wee stile our selues to God let that stile shew the loue wee beare to God and then when these two affections meete our affection going vp to him to the Heauens and his sweete affection comming downe to vs there is the tenderest and sweetest meeting that euer was and bee assured and if it were but a little affection that thou bearest towardes him hee will meete it with an infinite loue yea hee will sende downe out of the Heauens by his holie Spirite such loue to thy soule as the tongue of no creature can expresse Haue yee not experience of this that the loue that the LORD beareth to vs in JESVS CHRJST is the sweetest thing that euer was The LORD hath giuen vs leaue to bee homelie with him through CHRIST and they who want CHRJST dare not bee homelie The Pagans and the Iewes who denie the LORD JESVS haue not this familiaritie with GOD. Through JESVS CHRIST wee haue this wonderfull libertie to come to GOD and call him Father But to come to the matter Father sayeth hee glorifie thy Sonne Thâ—n what is it that he seeketh of the Father He seeketh glorie He hath bene humbled exceedingly and layde downe the tongue of man nor Angell cannot tell howe lowe the Lord was layde so being humbled at the pleasure of the Father nowe when hee hath neare finished the worke which hee should haue done hee seeketh againe his owne glory and good reason were he sayth Glorifie me Father with that glory which I had with thee from all eternitie The Sonne with the Father haâ— equall glorie Paul in the Epistle to the Philippians Chap. 2. vers 6.7.8.9 hath a notable place to this purpose and hee pointeth out three thinges of Christ in that place First hee letteth vs see the glorie which hee haâ— before hee came into the world Secondly he letteth vs see how hee humbled himselfe to the Father And thirdly hee letteth vs see how hee recouered againe that glory which hee haâ— from all eternity as comfortable a place of Iesus Christ as is in all the Scripture This then was his glory when as hee was in the forme of God hee thought it no robbery so to be equall with God for he was equall with his Father in glory in all respects Then hee telleth vs of his humiliation But he himselfe of his free will made himselfe of no reputation At the will of the Father the Sonne of God commeth downe from the Heauen and layeth downe that glory and taketh vpon him the vile habite of a seruant the habit of man that is the next degree and being in the habit of man he is made obedient to the death the vildest death that could bee an accursed death the death of the Crosse this was all done at the pleasure of the Father Last he commeth to the recouery of this glory God exalted him in a wonderfull sublimenes highnes he gaue him a name aboue all names that at the Name of IESVS all knees should bee bowed of all things in Heauen and in earth and vnder the earth and that all tongues should confesse that IESVS was the Lord to the glory of the Father In the first to the Ephes also hee speaketh of this his glory saying He raised him vp from the dead he placed him at his right hand in the Heauens farre aboue all empire principality and power and he subjected all things vnder his feet and hee made him head ouer all euen ouer the Kirke it selfe Whose heart is able to tell the glory that the Lord Iesus who was so farre humbled got after his humiliation I recommend often these places to you for if we loue our Sauior it should be our joy to reade of the glory and exaltation of him which he hath in our flesh for his glory is our glory and as he was exalted so shall we be What glory is this which he seeketh The Lord Iesus is very God verie man Now whether seekes he the glory of the Godhead which dwelt in him bodily as Paul saith Col. 2. vers 9. or the glory of the humane nature or the glorie of them both The answere is easie The Lord Iesus is that eternall high Priest and Mediatour betwixt God and man And as hee is Mediatour being both God and man no doubt he seeketh at the Father the glorifying of both the natures The glorifying of the Sonne of God as he was equall with the Father to be restored to him againe and the glorifying of the humane nature to be giuen him of new which hee had not afore but principally the glory of the Godhead Glorifie mee with that glorie saieth hee which J had with thee from all eternitie So chiefely hee seeketh the glory of the Sonne of God that glory he had from all eternity for why As yee heard Philipp 2.6 the Sonne of God had passed farre and layde downe that glory which hee had with the Father therefore Iesus sought the glory of the Godhead As for the glory of the manhood it is but the consequence of the other What is the glory of the manhood vnto the glory of the great God The glory of the nature of man in Christ is nothing but the beames of that glory which commeth from the Godhead The glory of the nature of man in Iesus Christ howbeit it passeth all the glory of Angels and man is nothing in respect of that glory of God which dwelleth in Iesus Christ To tell this more plainely wee see howe the glory of God vttered it selfe in Christ when that blessed body was in the graue and when hee was lying earthed closed in a Tombe then that glorious God beginneth to vtter himselfe for God left him neuer but kept him still in the graue that he corrupted not and the first thing hee doeth hee raiseth vp the dead bodie out of the graue and when hee raised that bodie hee carrieth it vp to the Heauens and setteth it at the right hand of the Father that glorious Godhead shal vtter it selfe in conuoying that bodie at the terrible day of judgement and shall set down that man Christ in the aire as a Iudge to judge both the quicke and the dead As in the first to the Romanes hee declared that he was the Sonne of God mightilie in that
followeth that whosoeuer findeth in their heartes that they haue glorified the Sonne in belieuing in him in confessing of him and in their life and conuersation that man or that woman may bee assured in their heart and saye The Father keepeth me and I am in his custodie I am assured that the Father hath a speciall care ouer mee because I finde my delite and pleasure to be set on Christ No no if the Father had not mee in his custodie I should not haue such a pleasure and delite to glorifie him The heart that findeth no delite nor pleasure to glorifie Christ Iesus in this life hath no warrand that it is in the keeping and custodie of the Father if thou findest no faith at no time and if thy life in some measure answere not to thy profession saye The care of the Father is not ouer me I am desolate I am not in Gods handes that is the most desolate creature in the worlde whome the Father hath not in his custodie yea though all the worlde should compasse him and guard him round about And by the contrarie whome the Father hath a care of they are better guarded than if all the Kings of the Earth were about them for Brethren yee may well know that the Father loueth that person well that loueth his welbeloued for he who loueth the Sonne the Lord Iesus he loueth the Father also and the Father loueth him and hee who honoureth the Sonne the Father shall honour him And by the contrary he who dishonoureth the Sonne the Father shall dishonour him and shame him in despite of all the worlde albeit all the world should honour him he will haue him shamed he shal set him vp to be an open shame to man and Angel he shall be Anathema yea and Anathema Maranatha that is cursed for euer who loueth not the Lord Iesus There is such a strait and narrow conjunction betwixt the Father and the Son that the honour of the Father is the honour of the Sonne and the honour of the Sonne is the honour of the Father and that the dishonour of the Sonne is the dishonour of the Father and the hatred of the Sonne is the hatred of the Father also Ye heard what Christ said Hee who honoureth me he honoureth him who sent me A Prince will thinke that his Ambassadour shoulde bee as well reuerenced as himselfe for all the honour that the Ambassadour receiueth commeth to the Prince who sent him Now the Sonne of God is more than an Ambassadour sent by the Father for he is not a simple Ambassador but also the Sonne of God equall with the Father who is more than all the Ambassadours in the world Will not then the Father thinke that the honour done to the Sonne whom hee hath sent is done to himselfe Yes certainlie But to leaue this Yet he continueth on and bringeth other arguments heapeth argument vpon argument to shew that great desire which he had that the Father should keepe and saue his Disciples who were in the world J am no more in the world I goe away and concerning my bodily presence I am no more with them they will abide still in the world therfore O Father keepe them in respect that I leaue them to thee and I am to goe out of the worlde and that shortlie therefore take thou the care of them Euen as a man dying leaueth them whom he loueth well to tender friendes Euen so the Lord Iesus leaueth his Disciples to his Father that he should take them in his custodie When I was with them saith hee I kept them but nowe I am going out of the worlde and I leaue them vnto thee therefore Father keepe them Brethren this absence of Christ in his bodie and our absence from him it is so farre from that to bee an argument that God hath left vs that by the contrarie this absence of Iesus Christ in his bodilie presence and the leauing of vs behinde him now in the Earth it is an argument to euerie one of vs that God is with vs and that the Father of Iesust Christ hath a speciall care of vs for looke the farder that Iesus Christ bee from vs in his bodilie presence the nearer is the Father vnto vs by his holie Spirite that Comforter So that yee woulde thinke it a wonderfull thing to consider the care that the Father hath of vs in the absence of Iesus Christ from vs. It is good for vs that Iesus Christ our Lord went to the Heauens in glorie And Christ sayeth himselfe If I goe not awaye that Comforter the Holie Spirite shall not come And this is sure the more desolate that anie bee in this Earth as the Fatherlesse Widdowes and Strangers c. if they bee Christes the greater is the care of God ouer them So yee will finde in the SCRIPTVRES hee will take into his hande and haue a speciall care of the Widdowes and Fatherlesse so that they bee Iesus Christes and once giuen to him If thou bee desolate looke that thou bee Iesus Christes and if thou wouldest not want the societie of Iesus Christ aboue all beware of Infidelitie which is nothing but the beginning of that euerlasting desolation Woulde wee haue joye or consolation in anie desolate estate in the worlde Woulde wee haue that presence of God and that consolation of the Holie Spirite No more but this See that thou bee Christes for Heauen and Earth shall goe together and all shall turne to nothing ere the Lorde bee not with thee to keepe thee and to guarde thy soule as the Apostle sayeth to the PHILIPPIANS with that peace with passeth all vnderstanding Hee will set that peace into thine heart when thou art in trouble and hee will set thine heart at rest and giue thee a greater peace than all the peace in the worlde Nowe when hee hath repeated these argumentes hee concludeth shortlie Holie Father keepe them in thy NAME them whome thou hast giuen mee that they maye bee one with vs as wee are one Marke Brethren these wordes which the LORD vttereth haue a great weight and also this petition which hee maketh to the Father it is full of affection and loue And it is full of affection first to the Father then to the Disciples for whom he prayeth It is full of affection to him whom to hee prayeth to them for whose cause he prayeth Looke when thou prayest that thy affectiō be to thy God to them also for whom thou prayest Hee sayeth Holie Father keepe them Will yee consider euerie worde and first these wordes Holie Father yee shall perceiue a great affection in the Sonne to the Father These wordes rise on two motiues the one is loue that is an affection which the Sonne bare to the Father When he calleth him Father he vttreth that wonderfull loue which he bare to the Father And then the other riseth on a great reuerence that Iesus Christ our Lord bare to his Father when
a bande of loue if thou bee not vnited by that bande with the members looke for nothing but death Then hee setteth downe the ground of our conjunction Euen that they may bee also one in vs. What is the ground of the coniunction of the members amongst themselues but the coniunction of the members in the Head If thou bee not joyned with the Head the Lord Iesus by fayth thou canst not dwell with thy neighbour in loue and charitie Hee who is joyned with the Kirke hee must first bee ioyned with Christ Hee commeth to the argumentes of this coniunction and the first is from the ende which is this That the worlde may knowe that I am sent from thee that is that the world seeing that vnion of the faythfull amongst themselues and that binding vp of their mindes and hearts by that band of loue may know me from whom that conjunction proceedeth and they may take me vp not as they doe to be a wicked man but to haue come downe from the Father and to be the Sonne of God Then Brethren there is not a thing in the world no not an effect in the world where in that vertue of Iesus Christ appeareth more than in this conjunction of the members of the Kirke in the Earth So wouldest thou showe before the worlde that Iesus is God equall with the Father bee at one with thy neighbour Wouldest thou glorifie Iesus Christ and professe him before the worlde and honour him liue in peace vnitie and concord Wouldest thou dishonour him and shame him before the world be at variance haue no peace and no loue If thou wouldest set thy selfe to make the worlde thinke that Iesus Christ is not one with the Father haue no peace with thy neighbour This conjunction and making vp of one body is no small effect of the vertue of Iesus Christ there is no power in Heauen nor in Earth but this power of God that will make vp that band all the Kinges in the Earth will not make thee loue thy neighbour truely no power can make thee loue thy Wife truely no not thy Children but onely that power that floweth from Iesus Christ the infinite power of that Godhead which floweth from him to thy soule is able to turne thine hatred into loue and to sanctifie thee So wouldest thou glorifie Christ in this world and liue in this world to the glory of him and professe that he is God and that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily striue so farre as lieth in thee to keepe peace with all men and bee knitte vp in loue with thy neighbour as thou wouldest glorifie him in this life and haue part of that euerlasting glorie purchased by the blood of Christ To whome with the Father and the holie Spirit bee all prayse honour and glorie for euermore AMEN THE XXIV LECTVRE OF CHRISTES PRAYER BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. xvii VERS 22.23.24 22 And the glorie that thou gauest mee J haue giuen them that they may bee one as wee are one 23 I in them and thou in mee that they may bee made perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent mee and hast loued them as thou hast loued mee 24 Father J will that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with mee euen where I am that they may beholde that my glorie which thou hast giuen mee for thou louedst mee before the foundation of the world IN the last part of this PRAYER Wel beloued in the Lord Iesus the Lord after that hee hath prayed for himselfe that the Father would glorifie him and after that hee had prayed for his Disciples to wit the eleuen for hee prayeth not for Judas because hee was the sonne of perdition at last he conceiueth a Prayer for the whole faithfull to the ende of the worlde I pray not sayeth the Lord for them onelie that is for my Disciples but I pray for all them that will belieue in mee through their word The thing which he prayeth for the whole faithfull is this That they may bee one in this worlde joyned in one heart and minde to make vp in this Earth that glorious bodie of Iesus Christ that is the thing hee prayeth for The first argument yee hearde the last daye which was from the ende of that vnion of men and women in the Kirke of God and of the making vp of the bodie of Iesus Christ Then the world shall know that Christ is sent of the Father In that conjunction and vnion they shall see that Iesus Christ is the Messias sent of the Father to the worlde for the redemption of the world that is the first argument Now wee goe forward in this present Text to the second argument of his petition for the whole faythfull to the ende of the world The second argument is taken from the end of that glorie which the Father hath giuen to the Sonne and that the Sonne hath giuen to the faythfull the ende of all this is That there should be an vnion and conjunction amongst the members of one bodie of Iesus Christ in the Earth The glory that the Father gaue to the Sonne and the glorie that the Sonne gaue to vs tendeth to this end that we be joyned together in the Earth to make vp the bodie of Iesus Christ Seeing that all the glorie that thou hast giuen mee and I haue giuen them serueth to this that they may bee one as we are one this is the thing I pray for That they may bee vnited in one bodie The glorie sayeth the Lord that thou hast giuen mee I haue giuen it vnto them That is to the whole faythfull not to his Disciples onlie but to the whole faythfull to the end of the worlde What is the glorie that the Father hath giuen to the Sonne The next word expoundeth it and maketh it cleare The glorie that the Father giueth to the Sonne standeth in this that the Father is in the Sonne I in them and thou in mee The Father is in the Sonne the Father hath giuen himselfe to the Sonne This is high but I shall make it plaine to you In the eternall generation wherein the Father begot the Sonne from all eternity without beginning the Father communicated with the Sonne that whole glorious substance and nature and as soone as hee communicated with the Sonne his whole glorious nature and substance so soone the Father and the Sonne became one in nature and substance And therefore considering this communication of the nature and substance of the Father and the Sonne it is saide that the Father is in the Sonne to wit in nature and substance and that the Father hath giuen to the Sonne his glorie For Brethren what is the glorie of God Nothing but the glorious essence and nature of God and this is the glorie that he giueth to the Sonne What is meant againe by this glorie that the Sonne giueth to the Father The wordes in the next Vers
he moueth them to belieue from this argumeÌ„t of good works The end of faith is a sanctified life and the end of that vnion with Christ is good works As the grace of God in Christ is to make a regenerate man and of a dead sticke to make a liuelie branch and Christ came into the worlde to repare that lost image of God in man the ende of election is to liue an holy life Ephes Chap. 14. The ende of our vocation of our justification is to liue an holie life To Titus Chap. 2. vers 11.12 The grace of GOD that bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that vvee shoulde denie vngodlinesse and vvorldlie lustes and that vvee shoulde liue soberlie righteouslie and godlily in this present world There is the whole end of the grace of God and of the Gospel So if a man haue not good works in some measure he felt neuer the grace of Christ the grace of God may shine in their faces but not in their hearts Now followeth the third argument Except a man abide in me first hee shall bee taken and casten out out of the Vineyarde and next as it were an vnfruiâ—full branch hee shall wither then when it is withered wherefore serueth it Shall it be imped againe No but it shall bee casten into the fire The fire of Hell is for them who will not come to Christ A man goeth not to Hell at once but by degrees Hee who hath not adoe with Christ hee is casten out of the Kirke that is the societie of the Lords Elect that is the true and inuisible Kirke howbeit for a season they remaine in the visible Kirke outwardly Another degree Being out of that societie hee withereth and the last degree he is casten into the fire If faire offers will not moue a man to belieue in Christ Iesus then let the fire of Hell moue him If thou wilt not belieue for faire promises thou shalt see nothing but horrible judgement and as the Apostle speaketh to the Hebrewes an vnquenchable fire Tell a man nowe of beliefe in Christ and of a sanctified life if they will belieue in him it will not moue them because their delite is in murther filthinesse and adulterie Then I tell thee in the Name of the great God thou who art not moued with these promises the fire of Hell abideth thee tell them this Indeede it is true the godliest man that liueth hath euer need to be holden in Christ by a flame of fire we are so inclined to infidelitie Knowing sayth the Apostle of himselfe 2. Corinth Chap. 5. the terriblenesse of the Lord wee bring men to Christ that is to say Wee doe our duetie in our calling And if hee had neede to bee holden in awe much more had wee The godlie who haue a wakened conscience will finde this as soone as they beginne to fall away a flame of fire striketh vpon them for without Christ there is nothing but fire and the wrath of God seaseth vpon the necke of the sinner and neuer leaueth him till it bring him to destruction and shoote him into the fire of Hell Indeede men and women will bee out of Christ where there is one who belieueth there are ten who belieue not and it is a rare thing truelie to belieue in Christ Some there bee who denie Christ altogether and some who are prophane hypocrites and yet the very infidels will finde rest into this worlde and who will bee so wanton as they the greatest infidels the wantonnest But thinke not howbeit they bee at rest that the wrath of God leaueth them No the wrath of God is most vpon them when they are least sensible of it and perceiue it least for the wrath of God striketh first the heart with a deafnes stupidity and next followes the bitterest dririest wakening that euer was When the wicked cries peace then that judgement comes on suddenly as the pains on a woman trauelling in birth and then driery sorowfull shall that wakening be Now to end take vp here the way to Hell and that step by step The first step of all misery is infidelity when a man is without Christ and hath no part with him So when one departeth from Christ either to the one hand or to the other he is in a step to Hell The second fra he fall away from Christ he is taken and flung ouer the Dike as hauing no society with the members of Christ I vnderstand the number of his secret ones if the Lord in the Heauen excommunicate him The third degree Once casten ouer the Dike then they begin to wither and drie vp and all grace goeth away There is no grace no mercy no life but to them who are in that blessed society Last wherefore serue they when they are rotten and drie In that great day they are gathered together and casten into the fire of Hell If any man would eschew the last degree to Hell thinke not Hell a Bogill for it is the sorest burning in the world beware of the first degree beware thou neuer swerue from Iesus Christ in any step but striue to bind thy selfe in that vnion When thou risest in the morning looke that hee be with thee and thou with him and so when thou liest downe at euen looke euer thou bee in Christ and if thou finde the heart sweruing from him and coldnesse to grow in it and thee to growe slacke striue euer to claime till him againe and say Lord holde mine heart still that I decline not an ihtch from thee Therefore striue euer to holde thee with Christ and let not thy heart be blyth except thou feele him againe in thy soule and euer grow in holinesse be exercising thee this way and thou shalt find in stead of feare an infinit joy in Christ And I promise to you if ye will belieue in Christ the joyfullest end that euer was Only belieue and seeing it standeth in no mans handes to belieue say to the Lord in your hearts Lord worke thou that fayth in vs for Christes sake To whom with the Father and the Spirit of Trueth be all praise honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE TENTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. XV. VERS 7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14 7 If yee abide in mee and my wordes abide in you aske what yee will and it shall bee done to you 8 Heerein is my Father glorified that yee beare much fruite and bee made my Disciples 9 As the Father hath loued mee so haue J loued you continue in that my loue 10 If yee shall keepe my Commaundementes yee shall abide in my loue as I haue kept my Fathers Commaundementes and abide in his loue 11 These thinges haue J spoken vnto you that my joye might remaine in you and that your joye might bee full 12 This is my Commaundement That yee loue one another as I haue loued you 13 Greater loue than this hath no man when anie man bestoweth
his life for his friendes 14 Yee are my friendes if yee doe whatsoeuer J commaund you YEE heard the last day Beloued in the Lord Iesus the first exhortation of the Chapter was That his Disciples should abide in that vnion with him and he with them Wee haue sundry arguments of this purpose The first Except yee abide in mee and in that vnion with me yee can bring foorth no fruit nor doe no good in this world The second is That if yee abide in me and I in you ye shall bee full of good workes The third If a man abide not in mee and I in him hee shall bee casten out of the Kirke and once being casten out he shal wither for out of Christ there is no sap of life and then being dried vp hee shall bee gathered vp like a drie sticke and casten into the fire to burne So the argument in this Hee who cannot abide in Christ he shall bee casten into the fire of Hell these arguments wee haue heard Now in this Text the Lord goeth forwarde in the argumentes and first he giueth the fourth reason wherefore they should abide in him then he passeth to other exhortations Then the fourth and last argument is this If ye abide in me and my words in you then what euer ye aske or seeke ye shall haue it Note the wordes If yee abide in me and my words in you Before hee sayd If I abide in you But all is alike the Lord Iesus abideth in the heart by the worde and by fayth so all is alike But to come to the argument What euer shall be your desire aske and ye shall haue it that is If ye abide in me all your petitions shall be granted This argument is very alluring to tell a man what euer he desireth he shall haue Before hee threatned now he allureth Ye see how the Lord tempereth his arguments But Brethren marke this in respect of whom is this argument alluring and whom moueth it Not euery one tell this to a man or woman who hath no sense of their need they will answere when they heare this Wee haue no need to aske tell this to a senselesse sinner he will answere he hath no need what need hath the whole of the Phisicion but tell it to them who haue felt the weight of sinne and who haue felt their want and knowe they are depriued of the glory of God and strangers from the life of God as the Apostle sayth it shall be the joyfullest and sweetest hearing that euer they heard hee will be moued when he heareth this sweete promise Then when wee come to heare of the promises of grace in Christ let vs prepare our selues this way and say I am voyde of al grace therefore I will goe heare these faire promises of grace Now the thing I marke here Yee see how a sinner getteth grace and yee see by what degrees hee commeth to grace The first and immediate meane to get grace and mercy is to seeke aske and thou shalt haue Heauen is little worth and if it bee not worth the asking beg Heauen and thou shalt haue it But who is it can doe this Can all men doe it Looke what must goe before asking ere a man can aske grace there must bee a thirst and a desire looke that the heart bee hungry Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall bee filled The worlde is full of want yet they haue not a sense of want or an heart to seeke Howe riseth the desire in the heart The desire riseth of a feeling in the heart of a wonderfull inlacke and misery when a sinner feeleth hee is voyde of all grace with this sense together with a sadnesse godly sorrow for it hath euer sadnesse for who wanteth these earthly things but they will bee sad So the want of these Heauenly things hath a sadnesse with it Paul sayth 2. Corinth 5. vers 4. Wee being burthened with sinne wee sigh for sadnesse Whosoâ—uer feeleth this burthen of sinne and mortality will sigh and sob But from whence commeth the feeling and dolour The sinner cannot haue it of himselfe for flesh and blood that is the corrupt nature will not feele this sense but it commeth of the Siprit of God Paul Rom. 8. â—ers 26. saith The Spirit of God intercedeth for vs with sighs vnspeakable And againe We who haue gotten the first fruits of the Spirit sigh So it is the Spirit who raiseth vp these sighes in the heart and without the Spirit thou canst not once giue a sigh Thou mayst sigh like a man but not like a Spirituall man And how gette wee the Spirit Belieue in Iesus Christ faith in Christ furnisheth vs the Spirit Ephes 1. vers 13. After yee haue belieued yee are sealed vp with the holy Spirit of promise for faith draweth out of Christ into the heart that Spirit The grace of all grace is to belieue in Iesus Christ and hauing him thou shalt get the Spirit I grant the Spirite must goe before and worke faith but it is true also that by faith wee gette a fuller measure of the Spirit So faith in the blood of Iesus is the fountaine of all grace for all grace floweth from that blood and the merit therof and by the power of the Spirit which accompanieth that blood grace is applied till vs. Then yee see that faith is the beginning of grace the holy Spirit followeth faith after the holy Spirite followeth a sense of our misery and want vpon this sense followeth an earnest desire vpon the desire followeth asking by asking grace is obtained So looke thou stand in Christ if thou wouldest haue grace Out of this place yee may aske this question Will a man get all that hee seeketh of Christ Hee answereth here If yee abide in mee and my wordes abide in you aske conforme to this worde and thou shalt obtaine it if thou aske any Spirituall grace thou shalt get it Vndoubtedly Heauen and Earth shall perish ere thou want it As for earthly thinges he will not aye giue them according to thy desire but as hee thinketh meet for his owne glory and thy weale And howe can they want who getteth the Kingdome of Heauen The Lord shall giue them so much as shall content them The Lord shall giue thee so much as is necessary to a Pilgrime Nowe wee goe to the seconâ—e exhortation which is to good workes The first was to stande in that vnion with Christ The second is to bring out good works Herein is my Father glorified that ye beare much fruit and in this ye shall be knowne to be my Disciples There are the two thinges hee sayeth not Bring out fruite but Bring out much fruite that is doe much A man should striue not to bring out fruite but much fruite and indeede if wee continue in that vnion with Christ wee shall grow in that regeneration and so wee growe in good workes The first argument hee
useth is taken from the glorie of the Father In this is my Father glorified that yee bring out much fruite Surelie a moouing argument at least it shoulde mooue all soules to doe well seeing God is glorified in my well doing for I am set in the worlde to glorifie God Take vp the grounde Whome will this argument mooue Not euerie man Tell to a man who hath no zeale to God nor no sight of the glorie of God Doe well and glorifie God hee will not care for it But to tell a man who loueth God alace whome can hee loue and if hee loue not God tell him if hee will doe manie good workes hee will glorifie God hee will doe all that lieth in his power yea hee will suffer that he may glorifie God as Moyses and Paul wished to renounce Heauen to get their God glorified And if Paul could gette God glorified he cared neither for life nor death Then when wee come to the hearing of the word where such exhortations are giuen vs we shold bring hearts filled with zeale to the glory of God and if thou bring such an heart when thou hearest such an argument it will bee verie sweete to thee Yee see here in these wordes a faire effect following on good workes when a man doeth well the fairest effect that euer was followeth to wit the glory of God thy Creator The Papists think there can folow no gooâ— of good works except a man merit and get life by his works as though the Prophet had said The just shall liue by his good works No he said not so but The iust shall liue by faith Habac. 2.4 May not this serue them that God is glorified in well doing Yee see the wordes that are heere are borrowed from the Vine tree Then let vs take vp the comparison to make the matter more cleare Wee see by experience that the branches of the Vine tree doe not liue vpon the fruite nor take no sappe from the Berries the Berries doe not furnishe life to the branches Therefore can they conclude heereof that the Berries auaile nothing because they giue no sap nor food to the vine tree Hath not the berrie none other vse Yes it hath a better vse for it serueth chiefely to refresh and make chearfull the heart of man It is euen so with our good workes the good workes are not causes of our justification or life they are but the fruites of justification A man doeth not good workes to bee justified but is â—ustified to bring out good workes they haue their owne vse they are not onelie comfortable to them who worke them to confirme their election calling justification and life but also those who stand by and looke to them the Apostle sayeth they are edified by their on-looking as yee may reade in the first Epistle of Peter and the first Chapted Yea more edified by one worke than by a thousand wordes And not onelie are men edified but thereby God is glorified Christ sayeth Matth. Chap. 5. vers 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and maye glorifie your Father which is in Heauen So by good workes the God of Heauen is glorified and men are holpen The second argument Ye shall bee my Disciples As hee would say God shall not onlie be glorified but ye shall get good your selues yee shall bee my Disciples It is the same in effect with that which he said Chap. 13. vers 35. By this a man or woman is knowne to be the Disciple of Christ by mutuall loue Then let vs see what doctrine is taught in the Schoole of Christ there is the summe of the doctrine Doe well bring out much good fruite bring out many good workes All the doctrine that is taught of fayth is to the ende that a man may do well The Apostle to Titus chap. 2. vers 11. telleth vs what is the end of the Gospel to wit that the grace of Iesus Christ hath shined in the worlde that wee may liue soberlie temperatelie and godlilie in this present world So the end of the Gospel is that men and women should liue an holy and sanctified life and he who liueth an holy life he is indeed a disciple of Christ not he who knowes most but he who doth most is the best scholler and he who doth euill and deliteth in mischiefe hath no more to doe with Christ than the Deuill hath Ephes 4.20 After that hee hath set downe the life of the Gentiles that they gaue themselues to wantonnes and to commit wickednes with all kinde of griedinesse he turneth to the Ephesians and he saith Ye haue not learned Christ so whosoeuer leadeth an euill life vnder the name of a Christian they haue neuer heard Christ speaking to them by his Spirite in their soule Thou hast not learned at Christ to bee a murderer an adulterer and drunkard Then if thou wouldest shewe to the worlde that thou hast learned at Christ striue to doe much and not to speake much In one worde As thou wouldest shew thy selfe to bee a Scholler in the Schoole of Christ doe euer many good workes Then when hee hath exhorted to good works he commeth to the grounds of good works the grounds are two the loue of God and the loue of thy neighbour the whole Commandements are grounded on these two Then hee exhorteth his Disciples to loue It is not enough to begin to loue Christ but to continue Hee giueth the argumentes J haue loued you wherefore then should ye not loue me The best thing we can doe is to meete him with loue in some measure who hath loued vs so wel so dearlie and tenderlie I haue loued you therefore loue ye me And that they should not thinke this a common loue hee saith As the Father hath loued me so loue I you I loue you not as men loue men but as the Father loueth mee Then wee see here that Iesus Christ is not onlie aye the first louer for if we loue him it is because hee loueth vs first loue aye beginneth on the part of Christ ere wee beginne to thinke to loue him hee loueth vs but also wee learne more heere What kinde of loue Christ beareth to vs. 1. John Chap. 3. vers 1. What a loue hath the Father borne to vs that hath called vs his sonnes So the loue of Christ to vs is a tender loue such as the loue of the Father is to him what tongue can expresse the loue of the Father to the Sonne So all the tendernesse of the worlde is nothing to that loue that Christ hath to vs it is passing in tendernesse and passing in measure Indeede the Apostle speaketh of a great sense of this loue to men Rom. 5. where he sayth This loue of God is powred out from the Heauens and powred out in the hearts of men women Who doeth it The holy Spirit sheddeth it abroade in our heartes and indeede a man will feele the loue of
of loue in the worlde as this Nowe to come to Iesus Christ The Lord Iesus died not for his friends he had neuer a friend in the world till he died and by his death he purchased friends No man euer loued the Lord Iesus but by vertue of his death Looke the fift Chap. to the Rom. vers 8. This commendeth his loue that hee died for vs sinners and enemies to him There was neuer such a loue as the loue of Christ to man who suffered so shamefull a death in the body and so great anguish in conscience Indeede all men will say in worde that that loue was wonderfull but all the difficultie is to feele in the heart the greatnesse of the loue of Christ and to apprehende it Except there be some sense in the heart the heart is but sicke and euill disposed And therefore this was a point of Pauls prayer for the Ephesians Chap. 3. vers 18.19 Hee prayeth for them on his knees to God that the Ephesians being rooted and grounded in loue might be able to comprehend with all the Saincts what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Sainctes and what is the breadth what is the length what is the infinitnesse of the loue of Christ that yee may knowe the loue of Christ which passeth all vnderstanding There is no saluation without that sense no peace no rest no joy for of all things vnder the Heauen wee should seeke to feele it the most and saye Lord as thou hast loued mee so let mee feele it If thou wouldest feele this loue get an assurance that the Lord hath died for thee when thou wast a sinner for therevpon shall rise such a sense in thy heart as thou neuer felt before First feele that thou wast condemned to die vnder sinne and the law then get an assurance that hee died for thee and shed his blood that thou mightest bee free That sinfull woman who washed the Lordes feet with her teares and dried them with the haires of her head and kissed his feete and anointed them with oyntment was filled with the sense of the loue of Iesus Christ Except the loue of Iesus Christ had loosed the heart of her shee had not had one teare Shee was a great sinner and hee sayeth Because much is forgiuen her shee loueth me the better Luke 7. vers 47. The moe sinnes that are forgiuen a sinner when be getteth this sense that Christ died for him he wil loue him the better Rom. 5. vers 5. Paul sayeth The loue of God in Christ is shed out into the heart ere euer that loue be shed out the blood of Christ must bee shed out and the heart must gripe to his death and bee washen with his blood and bathed in it and when the sinner feeleth that then floweth that sweetnesse of his loue and there is a mutuall loue betwixt the heart of the sinner and Iesus Christ and the sinner will feele such an exceeding loue that he will defie all the world as Paul sayth Rom. 8. vers 35. The Disciples might haue said We see thou doest for thy friendes and shewest a great loue to thy friends are we thy friends The Lord meeteth this Yee are my friendes but vnder this condition If ye loue mee and doe my will ye are my friendes Surely when wee heare such conditions as these That the Lord hath laide downe his soule for his friends we should search to know if we be of that number and should say to our hearts I see the Lord hath died for his friendes am I one of the friendes of Iesus Christ There is no life without his death and he died for none but for his friends and euery one of you who heareth me this day should trie your selues if yee bee the friendes of the Lord Yee shall knowe it by this if yee bee his friends ye shall not be fectlesse What serueth a fectlesse profession for in the mouth whē the heart is contrarious What serueth sucha a friend for as is a friend in the mouth a foe in the heart Look if thou hast an heart bent to doe his will take heede to thy tong and to the motions of thine heart that they bee sanctified and if thy tong be soule and thine hand be bathed with murder if thou seest this thine heart will testifie to thee that thou hast nothing to doe with Christ the loue of Christ hath nothing adoe with thee but that carcage of thine and that soule of thine shall bee dragged to Hell if thou abide in that estate But if thou finde in some measure a delite to pleasure him who hath pleasured thee died for thee Fie on him who will not striue to pleasure him If thou find in some measure good actions fall out of thine hand then thou mayest haue a good conscience and the heart will get a piece of that rest and peace which passeth all vnderstanding When a creature seeth that hee hath beene doing nothing all day but euill sleepe as thou wilt and wake as thou wilt thou hast the curse of God vpon thee Blessed is the man who hath good workes for they are tokens vnto him that hee is sealed vp in the blood of Christ Wee must not gather out of this place that because we were friends to Iesus therefore hee died for vs for by the contrary because hee died for vs therefore he made vs his friends Hee had neuer a friend till by his death hee acquired them And if thou finde the force of his death in thee thou must bee his friende and must preasse to pleasure him To whome with the Father and Holy Spirite bee all prayse honour and glory for euermore AMEN THE ELEVENTH LECTVRE OF CHRISTES DOCTRINE BEFORE HIS PASSION IOHN CHAP. XV. VERS 15.16.17.18 15 Hencefoorth call J you not seruantes for the seruant knoweth not what his Master doeth but J haue called you friendes for all thinges that I haue heard of my Father haue I made knowne to you 16 Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you that yee goe and bring foorth fruit and that your fruit remaine that whatsoeuer yee shall aske of the Father in my Name hee may giue it you 17 These thinges command J you that yee loue one another 18 If the world hate you yee know that it hated mee before you HItherto in this Chapter Beloued in the Lord Iesus wee haue heard of sundrie exhortations which the Lord being to depart out of this world giueth to his Disciples who are to abide in this world behind him First hee exhorteth them to abide in that vnion with him Then hee exhorteth them to good workes Therefore hee commeth to the groundes of all good workes There are two groundes The first is the loue of God the next the loue of man Therefore hee exhorteth them first to the loue of God next to the loue of man He setteth downe his