shouldst seek to possesse is thy vessel thou cariest about with thee But how should thou possesse thy vessell First he showes after what maner they should possesse it and then after what maner they should not possesse it The maner how to possesse it is vvith holinesse and honour Fy on thee thou wilt keepe thy pot or thy pan cleane to thy meat the vyllest vessell in thy house thou wilt keepe it cleane Maner of possessing the vessell of the bodie and will haue it washen euerie day once and yet thou wilt not be carefull to keep cleane that vessell that keepes thy soule And yet more It is not enâ—ugh to keepe it cleane but thou must keep it in honour There are sundrie sort of vessels in an house some vessels to dishonor and some to honour They that are euen to dishonour must be keeped cleane but they that are to honour must both be keeped cleane and in honour Thy bodie which is the vessell of thy soule shoulde not be keeped cleane onely but in honour also for it is the vessell of a honourable soule Yea Paul sayes 1. Cor. 6. 19. It is the dvvelling of the holie Spirit which is more nor thy soule Thy body is dearer boght nor al the vessels in this earth it is boght with the precious bloud of Christ fy on thee who pollutes and defiles the bodie which is boght with so precious a bloude Aske some men and say to them why defilest thou thy bodie He will ansvvere My bodie is my ovvne But I say to thee thy body is not thy ovvn it is Christs he hes boght it vvith his precious bloude if it be not Christs it is the Deuils and he shall possesse it in the end And therefore seeing that bodie of thine is the Temple of the holie Spirit boght vvith the bloud of Christ keep it in holinesse and honour and if there were no more to moue thee but because it is the vessell of the soule thou should keepe it holie and cleane For an harlots bodie as a priuy stincks so in the nose of the soule that the soule shall say Lord if I vvere out of this stinking bodie O hovv much more vvill it stincke in the nose of the Lord. And vvhosoeuer keepes their bodies cleane all that they haue is cleane their heritage their moueables and vnmoueables all are cleane and honourable but if thy bodie be polluted thou art foull all is foull put thy finger to thy meate it fyles it all that goes out of thy body is foull stinking and polluted the verie earth thou goest on thou fylest it with thy foull feete albeit they be finelie decored and it grones vnder thee because thou art heauie to it The Lord let vs see this and giue vs grace to abstaine from this filthie vice harlotrie Trowest thou thy vvhorishe eyes shall see that faire glorious face of God No no they shall not see it Cry for the grace of sanctification and for the bloud of Christ that all may be cleansed and thou â—n the end may win to the end of the rinke euen Christ and liue in him and be cleansed in him Now to the next verse which containes the vvrong vvay of possessing thy bodie The vvordes are Not in the lust of concupiscence There is the vvrong vvay Weigh the vvordes Not vvith the passion The vvorde passion signifies a firy flame which breakes out of the bodie inflamed vvith foull lustes vvhich proceedes from the heart and settes the bodie in a fire The lust beginnes at the heart and breakes out through the whole members of the bodie vvith extreame passions and the bodie so exercised is a sicke and suffering bodie the bodie of an harlote is the seekest bodie that goes it is brunt vp vvith a fire within The thing that is enemie to the bodie is sicknesse and passions And therefore who euer would possesse their bodie well they must be carefull to keep the bodie from sicknesse and passions Novv among all the sicknesses that can come to a man the sicknesse of foull lust is the vvorst and most consuming sicknesse another sicknesse may well waste the moisture of the bodie but if thou be sanctified the Lorde shall make it a meane to sanctifie thee And oft times there vvill not be a â—holier bodie nor that bodie that is lying in sicknesse but this sicknesse of luste not onely vvastes the substance of the bodie and dryes it vp but it destroyes the holinesse and honour thou shouldest haue it is an enemie to holinesse It is a sicknesse that vvill neuer sanctifie thy bodie but destroy it and the longer thou ly in that sicknesse the fouller and vnholier art thou This is the nature of the sicknesse thou shalt not onely be consumed in bodie with sicknesse but thou shalt lose thy holinesse in thy soule And this is a fore matter A sicke man in another sicknesse vvill cry to the Lord for comfort but in the sicknesse of harlotrie he vvill neuer haue a voice to cry vnto the Lord for mercie if he repent not So abhorre this sicknesse aboue all other sicknesses The Lord makes all sicknesses and deathe to vvorke to the best to his ovvne but this sicknesse destroyes the soule and the bodie altogether Novv to moue men to abhorre this sicknesse He bringes in the ensample of the Gentiles and he sayes euen as the Gentiles vvho knevv not God As he vvoulde say It is a shame to you to be like the Gentiles among vvhom this foull vyce raigne first It is shame to you vvho are called to this holinesse to be lyke these foull Gentiles Brethren a bodie vvho sees not God nor Christ is a prophaine blinded bodie And he seeing a murtherer going before him in murther a thiefe in thiefrie he vvill follovv and committe the lyke vvickednesse and so the blinde following the blinde both falles in the pit together But he vvho hes gotten a sight of God and a glance of the glorious face of Iesus Christ in vvhose face the glorie of that Majestie shinnes vvhen he seeth an harlote he vvill bee so farre from following him that he will scarcelie looke to him but he vvill abhorre and detest him For in the light of the face of God that a man sees in the face of Iesus Christ as in a faire mirrour he will see the filthinesse and foulnesse of sinne None knowes how great a sinne the sinne of filthinesse and blasphemie c. is but that soule that lookes in the glorious face of Iesus Christ That mirrour is so faire and glancing that looking thereto and in it seeing the foulnesse of sinne he will be mooued to hate and detest sinne and darknesse And I say there are none who are truelie illuminated with the light of God but the more they see Idolatrie harlotrie and sinne the more they deteste them It will neuer giue me in my mynde that they who will go out of this land and at the first hand can find in their hart to
as it were in a mirror I may see or thou may see Christ comming to judge the world to render to euery one according to their deserts for looke how I or thou may reason When I see a person troubled for righteousnes sake I will conclude here is an innocent man here are godly people troubled wrongously therefore of necessitie there must be a judgement wherein all ods must be made euen I looke certainly for a judgement to come God cannot be God if there be not a judgement wherein he shall be anenged for the wrong done to this man I will not conclude a particulare and an earthly judgement I will not say when I see a godly man troubled therefore the troublers of him shall be plagued ere they go off the world it is ouer high Indeede the Prophetes of olde had this reuelation but it is ouer high for vs because experience in all ages hes proued that some of the greatest persecutors hes died in peace and no visible judgement hes ouertaine them heere But this I am sure of when I see godly men opprest I may say there shall be a day of generall judgement vvherein God shall be anenged of the persecutours if repentance interceede not Novv vvold ye knovv any token that Christ shall come againe and put an end to the vvorld and that there shall be a generall judgement Looke if ye see or heare tel that the godly and innocent are troubled in the world take that for as sure an argument as can be that a generall judgment shal be And as surely as the master is comming after the forerunner as surely shall the general judgment come after the suffring of the godly they must dravv on a judgment and at the last they must draw Christ out of Heauen to take vpon him the place of a Iudge to rander to euery man according to his doing Now another thing He comfortes them taking his reason from the generall judgement he telles them there shall be a terrible judgement when a terrible judge shall come and sit downe in a judgement seat What comfort is this Ye see many vvill shake and shudder when they heare of it and faine would desire neuer to heare of it It is true the promise of the generall judgement will neuer comfort the wicked and they that troubles others the more that they heare of it the more will they trimble and shiuer But it is as true that the most comfortable voice they that suffers wrong can heare is the hearing of the comming of Christ in that latter day and it is the matter of patience it vvill make them ly vnder affliction with exceeding joy the thought of the comming of Christ giues patience in all troubles and this may be found in experience the cheefe joy of the godly is the remembring of Christs comming It is not mens judgement their absolution and condemnation that we should stand vpon What cares me if all the world would absolue me if I be condemned by God And againe vvhat careâ— me if all the vvorld condemne me if God absolue me It is not mens absoluing or condemning that bringes the true joy or heauinesse to the hart but it is Gods absolution and condemnation that will doe this And therefore as thou would haue comfort in that terrible judgment doe well and suffer wrong and byde patiently for surely it will not be long there is such a crying of bloude and such vvronges in this vvorld that truelie in this decrepite age Christ must come shortlie Then this is the first argument of consolation The other is more effectuall I shall touch it Ye that suffers shall be thought vvorthie of the kingdome of God for the vvhich ye suffer He commes nearer as he would say ye haue no cause to trimble and feare ye shall be absoluted from that terrible judgement and ye shall be counted worthie of the kingdome of God The enemies of the trueth gathers of these words that there is a merite and worthinesse for suffering But Paul Rom. chap. 8. verse 18. sayes All this suffering is not vvorthie this vveight of glorie So I answere This worthinesse is not our owne but that which is Christs worthines and properly pertaines to him heere is improperly ascryued to vs for throgh that strate conjunction we haue with Christ he and we are made one and therefore his graces after a sort are ascriued to vs. I hauing Christ may challenge his merite and worthines his graces that he hes conquised as life euerlasting c. to me as euer man might challenge any land or heritage Therefore gather not here any worthines simplie without Christ Alwayes I see the cheefe cause of consolation to the godly that suffers here is not so much that the wicked shall be punished for euer as that the godly shal be adjudged to glory There is the cheefe ground of my consolation Let a man doe all the euill he can to me my comfort is not that he shal be punished at that latter day but that then God shall glorifie me at that latter day Desire not so much the latter judgement that then the wicked may be punished as that thou may be glorified Look Gods purpose he hes appointed this latter day onely to this end that the godly may be glorified The other end of the punishment of the offenders is not the cheefe end for the cheefe end that God looks to is that he may be glorified in mercy It is true he will be glorified in justice but he delytes most to be glorified in mercy He seeks to be glorified in all his properperties in his wisdome power c. But the mercy of the Lord passes all and he seekes aboue all that his glory should shyne in his mercy toward sinners And certainely Christ was sent in the world that his glory should shine in mercy His preaching was to mercy God hes greater glory in sauing one sinfull soule in Christ nor he hes in condemning of millions of the wicked So brethren wonder not that many goes to Hell but wonder that euer a sinner should be safe and maruell more at the mercy of God in sauing of one sinner nor at his justice in the perdition of ten thousands So the mercy of God is wonderfull his power and all is wonderfull but his mercy passes all his properties To him be glory for euer AMEN THE SECOND LECTVRE VPON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 2. THESSA CHAP. 1. vers 6. 7. 8 9. 6 For it is a righteous thing vvith God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7 And to you vvhich are troubled rest vvith vs vvhen the Lord Iesus shall shovv himselfe from heauen vvith his mighty Angels 8 In flaming fire rendring vengence vnto them that doe not knovv God and vvhich obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ 9 Which shall be punished vvith euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of
them the presence of the Lord himselfe to be with them all Last he salutes them and the effect of the saluatation is a prayer for them The grace of our Lord Iesus be with you all Amen So all consistes in prayer Then learne He beganne this Epistle with prayer and salutation throughout the whole Epistle prayer is mingled Now in the end he multiplies prayer What meanes this Euen this that in vaine is all doctrine exhortation admonition and precept whatsomouer all preaching is nothing except the Lord by his Spirit worke inwardlie in the harts of the hearers all is nothing but vvinde except he moue their affections Now the way to obtaine this inward and secreete operation of the holy Spirite is oft-tymes to turne to God by prayer beseeching him to be povverfull and to joyne his Spirite vvith the vvord and to joyne vvorking vvith speaking And therefore hovv oft so euer we teach and ye hear the hart and eye should be lifted vp and set vpon him who hes keeped Spirit and power in his owne hand to giue as he pleases No man can giue you it neither the Preachour nor no Angell can giue you it It is onely in the hand of God and Iesus Christ to giue thee Spirite and povver and to joyne vvorking vvith speaking And therefore the eye in preaching should euer be set on Christ The Pastour should pray and haue his hart aboue to dravve dovvne grace to himselfe and the people that the vvord spoken may be effectuall in the hart othervvise preaching and all hearing is in vaine Now to come to the words The first thing he prayes for and wishes is peace The Lord of peace sayes he giue you peace for euer and euery vvay The thing then he wishes is peace that is quyetnes rest and tranquillity concord agreement all these words expresses the meaning of the word Peace The contrare is vnquyetnes What peace is dissention c. This Peace is the blessednes felicity happy estate of Christs kingdome which is his Church both in earth and Heauen And all the graces we haue in Iesus Christ tends to this end that his subjects may liue in peace quyetnesse and joy for euer and that shall be the end when we are in Heauen peace and joy for euer Ye see the happy estate of a worldly kingdome what is it When men liues in rest and enjoyes peace and quyetnes that is the happines of a worldly knigdom therefore in the 1. Timot. 2. 2. he commaundes prayer to be made for all men For Kings and superiour povvers To what end Euen to this same end that vve may liue a peaceable and quyet lyfe Euen so the blessed and happie estate of Christs kingdome is an heauenlie peace concord and quyetnesse And therefore Rom. 14. 17. he makes this peace to be essentiall to the kingdome of God that he defines it by this peace saying The kingdom of God is righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost This Heauenly peace is onely in Christs kingdome in his Church in Heauen and earth And the subjects of the kingdome of Iesus Christ are onely they that enjoyes this peace here and after this life for euer for without the Church of Christ there is no true peace If thou be no subject in his kingdome thou hast no rest no true peace for there is no true peace for the vvicked sayes the Prophet Esay 57. 21. If thou be of that number that is without the kingdome of Christ no peace for thee and the end shall proue thou hadst neuer true peace in this world Now to go forward He craues that it may be giuen to them Then Peace the gift of god it is a gift Heauenly peace is the gift of God thou hast it not by nature None is borne with peace but with warre and inimitie by nature all are borne with dissention strife and debate there is no heauenly peace by nature And the whole lyfe naturall what is it but a continuance in war debate and strife first against God next with thy selfe and thy owne conscience And againe a strife against the Angels in Heauen and men on earth and all the creatures of God thou art an enemie to them and they vnto thee vntill the tyme thou attaine to that new birth in Iesus Christ and then by vertue of that birth thou getst this heauenly and spirituall peace for then thou beginst to liue at peace first with God himselfe and next with the Angels in Heauen and men in earth and with all his creatures So looke how needfull it is for thee to haue regeneration for if thou want it thou shalt be at war for euer thou shalt haue no peace But how getst thou it It is a gift And who shold giue it The Lord of peace The giuer of it must be the Lord with dominion and power with command And as vnder his Lordship other things must be so peace must be at his command either to giue it or hold it Now who is this Lord that hes this power of peace and war Who is he that sayes All povver is giuen to me in heauen and earth Matt. 2â— 18. This Lord is Iesus Christ And therefore ere euer he came in this world and tooke on him our nature Esay 9. 6. he styles him the Prince of peace And Paul Ephes 2. 14 styles him peace it â—elfe he is our peace-maker And in Iohn 14. 27. Christ speaking to his Apostles takes on him to be the giuer of peace and sayes My peace I leaue to you and giues you So this Lord of peace is the Lord Iesus Christ who hes in his handes all grace and glorie in Heauen and in earth Yet to goe forward The lords style ansvver able to the grace 〈◊〉 praier Why is it that he makes a choise of this style rather then of any other Certainely this style he receiues here agrees with the petition and thing asked at his hands peace is craued he is styled the Lord of peace what euer we aske of Christ it should be in faith that he hes power to giue it aske iâ— thou peace aske it not but in an assurance that it is in his hand and that he is able to giue it Now this assurance that all is in his hand it cannot be better vttered then by the Name and style we giue him askest thou wisdome say Lord of wisdome giue wisdome askest thou peace say Lord of peace giue me peace askest thou mercie say Lord of mercy giue me mercy So the name and style we giue to the Lord when we craue ought at his hands should be answerable to the grace and mercy we aske for then we vtter our faith and assurance that he hes such a grace and power to giue vs. This hes bene the forme of Pauls prayer and of godly men of old and should be imitate by vs. The Lord hes many styles he is called the Lord of peace mercy and justice the Lord
of glorie There is not a Monarch that prydes himself in honourable styles and names that is comparable with the great Creator the Lord of the world yea set them altogether all are nothing in comparison with him because all are his all grace power and dominion in Heauen and earth is his and therfore look by how many graces his Majestie hes spread it selfe through Heauen and earth look how many graces he hes in his hand to giue so many seuerall and honourable styles may he receiue there is no end of his glory nor no end of his Names from his wisdome he is called the Lord of wisdome from his justice the Lord of justice from his mercy the Lord of mercy from his peace the Lord of peace from his glory the Lord of glory Now to goe forward Tvvo properties of peace 1. It is euerlasting There are two properties giuen to this peace The first It is for euer alvvayes it is not for a tyme onely but for all tymes It is not for this lyfe onely but for the lyfe to come This worldly peace serues but for this lyfe onely but the peace of Iesus Christ serues for the lyfe euerlasting The peace of God is not peace in prosperitie onely but in aduersitie also It is not peace in life onely but in death also And therefore Symen in his song when he had seene Iesus he sayes Novv Lord 〈…〉 depart in peace Luke 2. 29. the seruant of God as he liued in great peace so also departed in peace so this peace lastes for euer And therefore Esay 9. 7. when he hes called him the Prince of peace he sayes the largenesse of his dominion and increase of his 〈◊〉 at and peace shall haue no end his kingdome is an endles kingdome and there is an endles peace in that kingdome I called this peace our blessednesse Now this is the nature of blessednesse it cannot be bounded within any tearms if it be true selicitie bound it not compasse it not within a yeere within twentie yeeres or within a thousand yea within ten thousand yeeres for the nature of true blessednesse is euerlasting And therefore ye see worldly men that places their happinesse in worldly peace will dreame an eternity and perpetuitie to that peace of theirs that neither they nor their peace will haue an end That rich man in the Gospel Luke 12. 19. said to his soule Liue at ease eate and drinke and take thy pastime thou hast store laid vp for many yeeres trow ye not but he thought to liue for euer and thought that that aboundance should abyde with him for euer and so faires it with all worldlings they dreame a rest and peace for euer but the end will proue that they wer dreaming all their dayes Therefore Lord set our harts on that peace of Iesus Christ that lastes for euer This is then the first propertie of this peace of his It lasts for euer The second propertie of it is It is 〈…〉 of vvay It is peace in all respects not in one respect onely nor in some respects onely 2. It is in al respects but in euery respect I shall make this plaine The peace of Iesus Christ is peace in respect of God when our soules standes in friendship with him when we are reconceiled to him by the bloud of Iesus as it is said Rom 5. 1. Being iustified by faith vve haue peace tovvards God Then it is peace in respect of our selues an euill conscience is an euill enemie when thou stryuest not against thy owne affections but satisfies them then thy conscience will let thee get little rest it will ay be accusing thee but when once this peace of Iesus be giuen thee so that thou beginst to be regenerate and to lead an holy and sanctified lyfe then thy conscience rests and thou beginst to enjoy a joyfull peace in thy soule Philipp 4. 7. The peace of God that passes all vnderstanding preserue your harts and myndes in Christ Iesus and Col. 3. 15. Let the peace of God rule in your harts And againe it is peace in respect of the creatures of God with Angels in Heauen with men on earth man is enemie to man by nature then hauing this peace thou art at peace with Heauen and earth man and Angell for all are enemes to thee so long as thou art outwith Iesus Christ we are enemies to them all and they all to vs but being in Christ all things are reconciled to vs in heauen and earth Ephes 1. 10. Col. 1. 20. so in all respects it is peace Looke how many sortes of enimities was as many sortes of peace must be we are enemies to God to our owne conscience to Angels and men yea and that that is most conjoyned to vs by nature be it bloude asfinitie or any other bond if there be no more but nature there is nothing but enimitie the conjunction of man and woman if there be no more but their natural bond is enimity the parents and the children without this spirituall peace of Iesus are at enimitie So looke how many sorts of enimitie there is there are as many sorts of peace and our blessednesse standes in this peace Now looke the nature of it As blessednesse must indure for euer so our blessednes must be perfite If thou hast that peace of Iesus thou must haue it in all respects if thou hast peace with God thou hast peace with all men so far as lyes in thee Rom 12. 18. otherwise thou hast no true peace with God Men oft-tymes beguyles themselues I will haue peace with God will he say and yet I shal be this man or that mans enemie I shall slay him folie folie if thou glorie in debate with man and does not that lyes into thy power to be at peace with all men thou shalt haue no peace with God that thing which the Lord joynes seuere not thou the Lords peace is with al if thou seuere it and pryde thee in enimitie with any thou shalt not haue peace with God nor with thy self What peace hes a murtherer with God or with his owne conscience Aske at him I demand thee ô murtherer knew thou what that peace of God meanes when that bloudie affection raged and caried thee to bloude Thou lookest for friendship with God folie thou art neither at friendship with God nor his Angels nor none of his creatures It is a wonder that the Heauens falles not on thee The earth is thy enemy and it is a vvonder that it swallows thee not vp for al that bloud that thou hast shed on it but once it shall present it to thy damnation if thou repent not This far concerning prayer for peace I goe to the next words The Lord be vvith you all He goes to a deeper ground Before he wished the grace of the Lord Iesus to them Novv he vvishes the Lord himselfe to them the presence of Iesus Christ in his ovvn person not onely that he shall
The Sonne must not bee forgote heere because all grace is geuen in him by the Father in such sorte that if any man will seeke grace without Christ hee shall neuer get it Therefore he who would haue grace let him seeke it at God through Christ that he may receyue it of that fulnesse that is in the Sonne The Iew that will seeke to the Father without the Sonne shall neuer see grace Whom to is this grace and peace wished to the Church at Thessalonica Wherefore Marke this ground Because this Church is ingraft in the Father and in the Sonne by faith Then first I see here there is no grace but from the Father and the sonne and therefore there no wishing of grace to man or woman but from the Father and the sonne who are the fontaine of all grace Againe I see grace mercie and peace pertaines to none but to so many as are in this happie conjunction with the Father and the Son Art thou in the Father Art thou in the son ingraft in him by a liuelie faith Then grace pertaines to thee mercie and peace pertaines to thee Art thou out of him and not ingraft in him by faith Let men wish welfare and peace to thee as they will no grace mercie nor peace pertaines to thee By grace peace is vnderstood whatsoeuer blessings of God that followes on that conjunction and vnion that is with God the Father and the Son Iesus Christ As for exemple Remission of sins Iustification before the Tribunall of God Regeneration clensing of this foull nature peace joy in the holie Ghost life euerlasting all flowes from this conjunction and therfore it must follow that to him who is out of this conjunction with the Father and the Sonne there is no remission of sinnes if thou be not vnited to the Father and the Sonne by faith no saluation no regeneration no life euerlasting no peace for thee all thy peace is false peace and thou shalt curse the tyme that euer thou had that peace Then it must follow that this forme of salutation pertaines not to the Iew this day who is out of this conjunction neither I nor no man can say to the Iew this day Peace and grace to thee from God the Father and from Christ Iesus his Sonne neither pertaines it to the Turke or Pagane who are out of this vnion with God and Christ by faith More then this it will not be the name of any thing that will do the turne there are many that taks vpon them the name of a christian so will seeme to be in the vnion with the Father and the Sonne that in heart haue no conjunction with them But I say to thee it will not be the outwarde conjunction with them in the name of a Christian it will not be the wishing of good dayes and good euenings that wil do thee good except thou find thy hart bound vp in that blessed vnion with the Father and the Sonne Iesus Christ Marke an other thing Learne heere a forme of an effectuall and pithie salutation that the godlie should vse first when the godlie salutes as Paul Siluanus and Timothie when they wishe any thing to thee what wish they Not any thing thou deserues if thou were neuer so holie but free grace without any merite as Paul heere doth then againe they wish it from them that hes this grace in their handes from the Father and the Sonne And last they wishe it to them who stands in the vnion and conjunction with the Father and the Sonne for this vnion will draw down the droppes of grace from the Heauen from Iesus that is full of all grace Therefore Brethren these salutations of the Heathen Gentiles and of prophaine men now are nothing worth they were neuer of valure I will not giue a pennie for Cicero his salutem dicit nor Plato his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because in wishing well they knew not what they wished they called it welfare well doing they knew not grace nor the free mercie of God they knew not God the fountaine of all grace nor Christ his Son from whom all grace flowes they knew not a Church nor the conjunction of the bodie or the members with the head so their salutations were of no value Euen so it is this day with prophaine men who knowes not God nor Christ nor the Church nor knowes not his conjunction their salutations are not worthie a stray all their good dayes and good euenings are deare of right noght for their salutations are only prophaine words and when they are blessing with their mouthes they are cursing in their hearts Now brethren to goe fordward to the next part which containes this congratulation rejoysing together with the Thessalonians for those graces of God which were bestowed on them Ye se the words We giue God alvvayes thanks for you making mention of you in our prayers In this congratulation he rejoyses together with them for the graces the Lord hath showne on them in rejoysing for the graces showne on them he forgets not God the geuer of all grace but in rejoysing with them he glorifies God thanks him for them and so acknowledges al the graces that were in the Thessalonians to flow out of this fountaine he acknowledges their faith their charitie their hope not to come of themselues but to be of God and therefore in rejoysing with them hee geues God the glorie of all the graces that was in them Why should wee not congratulate and rejoise for the graces of God we se in others we are bound to doe it Thou art oblisht to rejoise with him that rejoyses for the graces of God geuen him as if they were geuen to thy selfe Paul sayes Reioyce vvith them that reioyses mourne vvith them that mournes Rom. 12. 15. Wee are bounde when wee see the grace of God in anie people or nation to commend it in them for it is said trewlie vvhen grace or vertew is commended it growes But looke that thy rejoysing thy commendation of men for the grace thou sees in them be to the end that thou may glorifie God who is the Author and fountaine of all the grace looke that in commending of men if it were all the Monarchs in the earth on paine of thy lyfe thou forget not God Looke first vp to the geuer and then to him who hath receyued say not Sir or my Lord I commend you for your good witte and gouernance I commend you for your man-hood and wisdome The flattering Gentiles that knew not God sayes so but thou who art a Christian speake not so to any man but say I giue thanks to God who is the fountaine of all grace for the grace he hes geuen to thee thou hast no good grace no wisdom no manhood c. but that which God the Author of grace hes geuen thee as euer thou would see the glorie of that God who euer thou be haue thy eye first of
East or West South or North Where then should we cast our eye Neither to the East West South nor North nor to any part of this earth but cast thy eye vpward to Heauen Iesus is in Heauen and he shall come from Heauen he is not in the earth and therefore ye see in him that hopes as the hart breakes vpward so will the eye looke vpward the hand the head will be raised vpward as Christ sayeth lift vp your heads Luke 21. 28. so his behauiour will tell thee from whence Christ shall come And againe thy behauiour wil tell that thou hast no hope when thou tends altogether downewards thy face euer towards the earth thy hart moyling in the earth when any man sees al thy care and minde onelie vpon the earth he may say this bodie hes no hope he lookes not for the returning of the sonne of God Then followes Whom he raised from the death meaning the sonne of God the Father raised him I will not insist but so farre onelie as the text will beare me Beleeue that Iesus is raised from the dead and that he is in heauen beleue the thing done past and then hope that he shall come againe first be a beleeuer and then hope he that hopes for a thing to come must be a beleeuer of the thing by gone Fasten thy beleef on the things bygone that Christ died was buried and rose vp by the power of God and ascended to the heauen beleeuing all these things by gone hope shall take hold on things to come but if thou beleeue not these things bygone thou shalt neuer hope that Christ shal come againe to thy deliuerie All these things bygone goe before the thing to come he hes told all the articles of the beleefe ere he come to this cōming of Christ againe therfore thou must beleue these things bygone ere thou hope for Christs cōming Then he brings in a descriptiō of the son of God from his name a Sauior from his office a deliuerer a sauior must be a deliuerer his name bears his office for Iesus must be a sauior of men There are two things joined together Christs comming and our eternall deliuerie when he came first in the world he began with deliuerie and by his death redeemed vs when hee shall come againe he wil make an end of our deliuery there shal be no more sin death Our deliuerie dependes on Christs comming trouble or sorow So al our deliuerie depends so on christs cōming that if he return not we shal neuer be fully deliuered by the contrair Iesus returning of necessitie thou must get a full deliuerance They that looke for deliuerie there is the order of hope their hope is euer first in the comming of Christ vpon the which their deliuerance dependes then in the seconde rowme they looke for their deliuerance They are fooles that look first to be deliuered that is a backward order therefore say I hope Iesus shall come againe and then say I hope to be deliuered ye see in the Reuelation the cry of him who lookes for saluation is Come Lord Iesus Reuel 22. 20. The meaning is When vve desire Christ to come we desire the performance of our deliuerance when we desire Doomes-day vve desire the perfection of our eternall deliuerie and it will not be vntill that day if thou be founde in Iesus thy deliuerance shall then come in the full accomplishment thereof Now from what should he deliuer vs From the vvraith to come Christ deliueres vs from the vvrath to come That is from all paine and vexation All the terrors hell that shall follow on the wrath of that great God that shal be reuealed in that great day for that effectuall wrath of God shall strike in that great day are called the vvrath to come No doubt the Apostle by this word would stirre vp our mindes to looke for a greater wrath then euer was seene in this world there was neuer since the first day to the last such a wrath of God seene in the world as shall be seene in that last day The Lordes vvrath hes bene vttered oft times in great measure since the beginning as in that great deludge in the burning of Sodome and Gomorrha with fire and brimstone in the particulare destruction of manie people and sundrie nations but all is nothing to that great wrath all is but play in respect of that last wrath And therefore they are fooles who measures the greatnesse of the wrath of God by the selie momentaneall afflictions that is laid on men and wemen in this earth Some thinkes God can not powre a greater wrathe nor when he casts a man in great sicknesse when he causes one to be rugged in sunder one part from an other when he causes one to be burnt with fire and foolishe wretches will say What can God doe more to me Knowest thou not that there is an euerlasting wrath in God or euer it light on thee it shal make each member shake in sunder when thou sees it comming down on thee thou shalt cry Mountaines and Hilles fall downe on me and couer me from the wrathe of the Lambe Reuel 6. 16. Againe mercie is not to be measured by the mercie we get heere it is a blasphemie to thinke that God hes no greater mercie to shovv on thee nor he shows here So the greatest affliction that can fall on vs heere is nothing in respect of that last wrath Therefore that last day is called 2. Rom. vers 5. the day of vvrathe There was no day before called the day of wrathe Now brethren as the greatest wrath shall be powred out that day so the greatest mercie shall be showne to the godlie that day And they who shal be founde vnder the couert of the wings of this Iesus the Sauiour wrath shall passe by them but they who shall not be found vnder his winges the wrath shall tumble on them Alas if we could consider this Learne to seek Iesus in tyme. The way to find Iesus a couerture in that day it must not be to beginne then thou wilt not get him then if thou got him not before thinke not to cry then Iesus couer mee but the waye to make Christ a couertour to thee must be in this lyfe beleeue in him heere beleeue that he came into the worlde to releeue thee from this great wrathe that day beleeue that he died for thee rose againe for thee and hope that he shall come againe to that eternall deliuerance Misse not this hope Paul to Timothie 2. Epist 4. 8. speaking of that crown of righteousnesse he shall receyue he communicates that crown with others but who are they they that hopes for his comming If thou in some measure hunger not and thirst not for his comming in this life looke not to be couered by him hereafter grone therefore and thirst for Iesus in some measure that he may keepe thee in that great
the purpose of the Apostle in this place was to comforte the Thessalonians against the afflictionâ—s vvhere-vvith for the tyme they vvere exercised The first and the cheefest argument of consolation vvas taine from that just jugdement of God when he commes for the afflictions that the godly and innocent suffers in this lyfe for the name of Iesus Christ are as a mirror vvherein we may see the Lord Iesus comming to judgment to take vengence on the afflicters and to render and to giue rest 〈◊〉 his own The Apostle taking occasion of this argument points out the Lord Iesus comming to judge the world He notes the place from which he shall come an Heauen aboue all these visible Heauens he notes the companie where-with in his comming he shall he accompanied First the Angels of his power enarmed with the power of the Iudge the Lord Iesus to execute his just judgement The next company is a flamming fire This fire at the comming of the Lord Iesus shall burne vp the Heauen shall melt the elements shall burne vp this earth and all the workes that is in it as Peter declares in his 2. Epistle chap. 3. and at last shall consume and deuore the wicked and that euerlastingly euer burning without end When he hes painted out the Lords comming to judge the world he subjoynes the effects that shall follow vpon his comming and judgement The first effect is he shall inflict vengence to them who in this world knew not God and would not obey the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ And after this he descryues this vengence more particularlie it shall be an vtter destruction so that they shall neuer get vp their head againe and this destruction shall be endlesse a death without a death the sorest death that euer man died the cause of the perdition shall be the face and angry countenance of the Iudge his face shall be as fire and they shal be as waxe the heate of his face shall melt them as the fire melts the waxe the cause of the eternitie of their perdition shall be the glorie of his power his power shall neuer haue an end and therefore their paine anguishe and perdition shall neuer haue an end The power shall euer holde them still in a torment and so this vvraith euerlasting shall sease and feede vpon them for euermore And so they shall euer be doing and neuer be dead Now in this text we haue the second effect that shall follow on the comming of the Lord to his judgement The first effect concerned the wicked This effect concernes the godly To come to the wordes shortlie He sayes When he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes The meaning is this vengence of perdition euerlasting shall be inflicted on the rebels of God and Christ at that tyme when he shall come to glorifie his owne the Saintes that in their glory and lyfe euerlasting he may be glorified himselfe Chief end of Christs coÌ„ming is to glorifie the soules This is the meaning shortly Now if ye will marke the first wordes When he shall come Ye may see that the first and cheefe end of the comming of the Lord Iesus to judgement is not the wrack of the reprobate but his cheefe end in his comming to judgement shall be the glorifying of his owne that in their glorie he may be glorified for euer The order of the giuing out of their doome and sentence of lyfe and death at that day makes this master plaâ—ne Read the order of the giuing foorth of this sentence in the 25. chap. of Matthevv vers 34. c. Iohâ— 5. cha 29. vers The sentence shall be giuen first to the godly and the Lord shall say first to them ere he open his mouth to the other Come ye blessed of my Father and 〈◊〉 that kingdome that is prepared for 〈◊〉 Then when that sentence is past he shall draw the godly to be assessours to him and with their consent and approbation in a maner he shal come to the doome of the reprobat and shal say Depâ—â— from me to the deuill and his Aâ—gels Iohn 5. chap. vers 28 29 The houre shall come vvhen all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue doâ—e good to the resurrecâ—â—â—â— of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation This his order of proceeding showes that the cheefe end of Christs comming is the glorifying of his owne The cause is because in the glorifying of his elect cheefly shall God be glorified And seeing the Lord cheefly respects his owne glory therefore the first respect he shall haue in judging shall not be to punish the wicked for â—e shall cast them by his hand as dogges but to glorifie his owne To goe forward in the words When he shall come to be glorified in his Saintes That is to say when he shall come first to glorifie his Saints and so consequently to glorify himself For he cannot be glorifyed in his Saintes except he glorifie them first And therefore it must be vnderstood that he must glorifie them that in their glorie he may be glorified Now marke As the first and cheefe end of the comming of the Lord to judgement shall be the glorifying of his Saintes So the cheefe meane whereby the Lord shall be glorified shall not be the damnation of the reprobate but it shall be the lyfe and saluation of the godlie because in the godly at that day shall be manifested to the whole world the goodnesse of the Lord Iesus his mercy his omnipotent power in one word his Majestie and his glory cheefly shal be manifested in them So that the whole world when they see them stand vp as it were in a shout shall cry Glorie glorie glorie be to the Lambe that sits on the Throne when they shall see the elect so shining in glorie they shall brust forth in crying glorie glorie glorie and nothing shall be heard but glorie euer more These are the thinges we shall once see and heare either to our euerlasting glorie or to our euerlasting destruction It is true the Lord Iesus that day shall be glorified also in the damnation of the reprobat and that in his justice Ye read in the 14. of Exod. I shal be glorified in Pharao and his armie in powring out a vengence on them I shall drowne them But yet the justice God the justice of Christ serues not so much to his glorie as his mercie does And it is a greater matter yea and more glorie shall come to him by the sauing of one soule at that day nor by the condemning of an hundreth Came Christ Iesus in the world for this end cheeflie that God should be glorified in his justice No. Christ came and the Gospell of mercy is giuen vs that men and Angels in that day should glorifie God cheeflie in his mercie Now to goe forward And to be made marueilous in all them that beleeue
the persons to whom it is directed The second is the arguments whereby he will assure the Thessalonians that the praier shal be granted to them And the last is the things that he prayes for to them To come to the persons I pray sayes he the Lord Iesus Christ. He names him first for the sweetnesse of grace he had found in him euer since first he knew him his soule was so filled with the swetnes of Christ that in nothing he could forget him neither in his praier nor exhortations to others as euery one that is touched with such a feeling of Christ will doe Know ye not this ye that make a glorious profession of Christ 〈◊〉 is thee that euer took the profession of Christ in thy mouth if thou find not a sweetnes of his grace towards thee in thy hart if thou finde it thou wilt neuer speake of any matter concerning grace and saluation but Iesus Christ shall be first in thy mouth Next he commes to the Father and he sayes and God our Father There then the two persons which are the two fountaines of all grace that comes to mā in the world Mark here a double honor giuen to Christ First he is joined with the Father as a fontaine of all grace and next he is first named for he sayes I pray the Lord Iesus and then he sayes and God our Father He puts the Father in the second rowme Iesus Christ god equal vvith the Father albeit in other places he puts God the father in the first rowme as ye may finde in all his salutations Now what must followe on this Euen this that Iesus Christ is very God as he is very man coessential of the same nature with God coequall of the same dignity and majestie with the Father and coeternall with him if this were not he could not haue giuen him such a style without blasphemy against God The olde Heretikes thought they got a great aduantage of such places of the Scripture that placed the Father in the first rowme to conclude that Iesus Christ was not onely inferior but far vnequall to God the Father and especially they gather it out of these wordes I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Son c. Ergo say they the Sonne is inferiour But looke here and ye will finde that Christ is named in the first rowme That olde doctor Chrysostome when he hes reasoned against this fond opinion at last he concludes They are equall in eternitie dignitie and in euerie thing that is or may be called truely God Indeed the Father is the first person but that makes not that the Father is aboue the Sonne for there is equalitie in dignity and essence and therefore he whiles puts the one before the other and that not in respect of any supremacy but to testifie that Iesus Christ our Sauior and the Father is one and equall in euery respect Now to come to the argumentes which are not set downe so much to mooue God as to assure the Thessalonians that the thinges shall be granted that he craues for them The arguments are from the effects of God First Who hes loued vs. Secondly vvho hes giuen vs euerlasting consolation And the last who hes giuen vs good hope and all throgh grace and mercy contrare vnto our deseruing Marke bethren a generall He bringes these Thessalonians to remembrance of these graces of God bestowed on them before Argumentes to assure vs that God vvill grāt vs benefits craued in prayer to assure them the Lord wil grant them these benefits he praies for to them When God begins to show his mercy on men or wemen and in Iesus Christ to powre out his blessings vpon them he giues as it were an obligation subscriued with his own hand I shall be with you for euer neuer man bond himself as the Lord binds himselfe from once he begin to deale mercifully with vs if he begin once to giue vs faith in Iesus christ and to minister that inward consolation and to giue vs hope of life euerlasting in so doing he giues vs an obligation that that mercy shall continue with vs for euer Therefore mark the graces of God giuen to thee and neuer forget them for they vvill hold thee vp That God that hes comforted thee once shal comfort thee for euer He is not like man I am sayes he Iehoua not changeable and therefore ground thy hart on that vnchangablenes of God For he who hes once begunne with thee to giue thee mercy assure thy self he shal not leaue thee How was Dauid and the godly of olde holden vp but by this same obligation Would euer any of the olde fathers haue stood without this No. There only prop vp-hold was the experience of the mercy of God once showne on them and diligently remembred by them Now to come to the particulare Who hes loued vs not as a Creator does a creature The first Gods loue but as the father does the son that is an higher degree of loue for he called him Father immediatly before then he subjoines he loued vs. Brethren would ye come to the thinges we haue of God throgh Christ The first is grace mercy and free fauour He is bound to no creature but what euer he giues he giues it freely The first blessing that God bestowes on man on earth and the first effect of grace and of his free fauor is loue this loue is giuen to make the creature to powr out as it wer the hart on his Creator againe He hes loued vs ere euer we wer of this loue proceeds eternal election as ye may read in sundry places of the new Testament This loue stayes not here but after he bringes vs in the world at his owne appointed tyme he makes the loue that was in his hart before all tyme towardes vs to break out and he sheds it abroad in our harts And the first effect of it is our effectuall calling He will say Come hither out of the foule pollution of the world and I wil exceme thee from the damnable end of the world and so from thence forth mercy hes no end but from calling he proceeds to justification from justification to regeneration and last to glorification So the first thing God giues thee is his hart and harty loue He will not giue thee any of these blessinges that are in Iesus Christ vntill with them he giue thee his hart He is not like man who will giue thee a faire countenance alone and will take no further thought what become of thee but God will giue thee his hart as the first gift and giuing thee his hart what can he deny thee When he hes giuen thee his hart can he deny thee life And therefore Rom. 5. 5. it is said that the loue of God is shed abroad in vs by his holy Spirit Now as he embraces vs with loue Lord if we could meete him with halfe loue againe We