let you goe but by strong hand the new translation hath it And the king of Egypt will not let you goe no not by a strong hand now how may a man know which is the better I answer hee may know it although he have no other helpe than his owne let him looke into Exod. 6. 1. there the Lord saith to Moses now shalt thou see what I will doe to Pharoah for by a strong hand shall be let them goe so herein the ordinary Bibles are the better from these wee inferre a wise Christian may helpe himselfe by the helpe of his minister in any doubt about the difference of texts of Scripture and to shut up all in a word it is plaine and manifest by these premises that the true Church throughout all ages hath preserved the letter and text of the Scripture from all annoiances taint of corruption or the least soile that may bee The use hereof is First seeing it hath beene the care of the Church in all times to preserve the letter of Scriptures therefore it must be every mans care to read it be acquainted with it and to meditate therein so to profit by it as Ioh. 5. 39. Christ counsels us Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life they are they which testifie of me so 2 Tim. 3. 15. Timothie was commended for that he had knowne the Scriptures of a Childe which were able to make him wise unto salvation in like manner wee must know the Scriptures and be acquainted with them to make us truely wise Augustine saith well to this purpose that the two testaments are the two breasts of the Church that every Christian man must sucke to draw spirituall nourishment from that he may live eternally by it and another learned man saith that the holy Scripture is an Epistle sent from the Creator to the creature if an earthly king should send us a letter what would we let it lye by us would we not bestow some time to read meditate of it and bee acquainted with it to know what were the kings will with us so saith he the holy Scripture is the letter and Epistle of Almighty God let us labour to bee acquainted with it bestow some time to read it and meditate therein another learned man saith Now the Paradise of God is in this world the bookes of the Scriptures are the trees of Life whereof no man is forbidden to eate therefore it must be our care to heare the Scriptures read and to reade them our selves meditate in them and tell the good things that wee learne from thence one to another Secondly seeing it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the Scripture it must bee our care not onely to reade and to meditate in it but also to beleeve it and to put it in practice as Psal 124. David did where hee saith by the words of thy lips I kept mee from the pathes of the cruell man and againe Psal 119. 11. I have hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee See wee must learne by the Scriptures to put it in practice to sanctifie us in our wayes to keep us from sinning against God and to direct us in all the things wee take in hand this fruit and benefit wee must draw out from it saith Christ to the Iewes I will not accuse you but there is one will accuse you even Moses in whom yee trust How shall Moses accuse them not in his person but by his Bookes and Doctrine for that they did not beleeve nor practise but neglect the things that were commended to them therein so Moses shall accuse them and draw such a fearefull bill against them as they shall not bee able to answer so wee that bee your Pastours and teachers wee doe not accuse you but Moses Paul and Peter doth accuse you and will write such a fearefull bill of indictment against you as you shall not bee able to answere Therefore labour yee to repent of your sinnes to make conscience of your wayes to put in practice the good things that have beene taught you that so there bee not framed a fearfull bill of indictment against you which yee shall not bee able to answer especially remember it at this time to make use of it seeing yee see by evident tokens that God is displeased with us doe not thinke that time will weare it out but search into your hearts and into your lives to see what is amisse repent of your sinnes and turne to God that he may turne away this fearefull judgment that is come upon this land Oh my good brethren let us not passe away these things and make no accompt of them but let us labour to put them in practise seeing wee know them lest there bee such a fearefull bill of indictment framed against us as wee shall not be able to answer SERMON LXV 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth WEE heard the last day that the Church hath three wayes preserved the tables of truth First in preserving the Letter of the Scripture which I then dispatched Secondly in preserving the Canon of the Scripture I meane the true number of Canonicall Books Thirdly in preserving the Authoritie of the Scriptures Wee come now to the next Point which is that the Church hath preserved the true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes without adding or diminishing Canonicall Scripture is that which is given us of God is bee a rule of faith and good life by the which yee may bee sure wee may please God The word Canon is a Greeke word signifying a Rule so the Scripture is a rule to square out our actions by Those which worke in curious buildings doe not work by aime and ghesse but by rule so in the spirituall building of a mans soule and conscience in making a spirituall house for God wee must not goe by aime and ghesse but by rule Wee must hold us to our rule so saith S. Paul Gal. 6. 16. As many as walke according to this rule peace shall bee upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God And Exod. 25. 40. saith the Lord to Moses Looke therefore that thou make all after the pattern that was shewed thee in the mount There the Lord had given Moses a paterne Such a charge as this comes to every Christian concerning all his actions see that thou doest it according to the paterne which the Lord hath lest thee in the Scriptures to bee a rule of faith and good life and to build up thy soule and conscience in the assurance of thy salvation and hope of an heavenly life Therefore it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the true number of the Canonicall Bookes intire Paul tells
we come of it it must be our care to mend it and to walke by rule SERMON LXVI 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth HOw the Church is called the ground and the Pillar of truth hath beene in part declared already for first it hath preserved the letter of the Scripture secondly the Canon of the Scripture that is the number of the holy bookes thirdly the authority of the Scripture of which I am now to speake I say not that the Church giveth authority to the Scripture but I say it doth preserve the authoritie of the Scripture for if the Church should give authority to the Scripture then the authority of the Church were greater than the authority of the Scripture the Papists say that the Scripture is not authenticall but by the authority of the Church and another saith to speake absolutely the Church is of more authority because it giveth authority to the Scripture this is the doctrine of the Papists but the Scripture hath not his authority from the Church but from God so Saint Paul saith 2 Tim. 3. 16. For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to improve to correct instruct c. so 2 Pet. 1. 25. for the prophecies came not in the old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost therefore because the Scripture is given by inspiration from God it hath its authority from God unlesse we thinke it cannot be the word of God unlesse men allow of it so being favourable unto God that unlesse God please men they will give no authority to his word therefore the Scripture hath sufficient authority from God without any testimonie from men because it is the Word of God Now here comes a question which the Papists make How shall we know the Scripture but by the authoritie of the Church I answere because we may know it by infallible arguments and can prove it to bee the Scripture The testimony of the Church in this regard is to shew and declare that it came from God he is the Author of it it hath the Authority from God not from the Church the Church onely declares and makes it knowne to her Children by infallible testimonies that it is given by inspiration from God As a poore man who carrieth letters from the king can give no authoritie to it but if any man make doubt whether it came from the king or no he can shew the kings hand and seale to it and make it knowne to bee so by divers testimonies so the Church can give to authoritie to the Scripture but if any man make doubt whether it bee the Scripture or no the true Church can make it knowne by divers arguments that it came from God and this is the office of the Church Now there bee seven evidences whereby wee may prove that the Scriptures came from God the Author of them First The puritie of it so Spirituall and full of holy Matter of Goodnesse Iustice Sanctitie forbidding vice commending Vertue voide of all Corruption and so farre remooved from the heart of Man as that Man must needs thinke that it came from God So Deut. 4. 8. Moses saith What Nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as this law that I have set before you So David Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is an undefiled Law Hence we inferre the puritie thereof doth declare that it came from God It is so Holy and Divine as no wit of Man could devise the like all other lawes which have beene made by man in time have beene discovered and their corruptions approved even Lycurgus his Law which was thought to bee the best All other Bookes which have beene devised by the wit of Man have their corruptions Amongst the Philosophers no Rose but had his prickle no truth without some mixture of falsehood but this Booke of the Scripture the longer it is in the World the more it is discovered the more the puritie and holinesse of it doth appeare therefore this is an evidence that it came from God Secondly we may know the Scripture is from God by the majesty of it that in so plaine words and termes such high wisedome is contained therein and so transcending the Nature and wit of Man as no writing of man was ever like unto it As the officers of the high Priests said of Christ Iohn 7. 46. Never man spake like this Man so we may say of the Scriptures never did any Booke speake like this Booke If all mens wits were laid together they were not able to gather together one leafe like it all other bookes of other writers with two or three times reading them over wee may draw them dry even the Bookes of Demosthenes Plato and Aristotle But if we should live a thousand yeeres to read the Scriptures yet still wee should have one new thing or other This doth shew that all Mens wits have a bottome but the Scripture hath none therefore we may say of other bookes that they bee as a little gold among a great deale of earth but we may say of the Scripture as of the Pearle that there is a great deale of Treasure comprehended in a little roome Thirdly by the Power of it for there is nothing in this world that the nature of Man can lesse digest at this day than the Scripture Men cannot abide to read the Scriptures and yet notwithstanding wee see of what power it is to worke on the soule and conscience of Men it closeth with them and makes them see their sinnes to repent for them and brings them home to God as Heb. 4. 12. saith the Apostle For the Word of God is lively and mighty in operation and sharper than a two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynes and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Now this power of the Word shewes it is from God Againe when a Mans Conscience is on the racke there is nothing but God can releeve him therefore this is an evidence that it is of God because it is of power as well to convert as also to comfort a Man when his Conscience is on the racke Fourthly By innumerable prophecies and predictions therein that have been foretold and come to passe in the times appointed as Esay 41. 22. saith God Let them bring forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that wee may know that ye are Gods yea doe good or doe
left she replies that shee had nothing left but a little cruse and a little oyle in it where upon the Prophet bids her goe and borrow vessels of her neighbours then shut the doores to her selfe and powre into those vessels and fill them which she did and so payed her creditours and lived of the rest This is the Churches case the Divell impleade her for debt and the Church hath nothing left but as it were a little Pitcher the body of Christ and yet out of this there hath runne out such a deale of oyle as that it hath sufficiently discharged all the debt of the Church and this is another comfort to her that hee will discharge all her debts Fiftly seeing the Church is the body and the spouse of Christ that one day wee shall bee brought home unto him to live with him for ever as Psal 45. 14 it is said shee shall bee brought to the King in â—aâ—ment of needle worke and in the next verse With gladnesse and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the Kings Palace Therefore this is a comfort to the Church that although she cannot see him because she lives here on earth and Christ in Heaven yet there will be a time when shee shall live for ever with him in glorie and happinesse It was Christs request Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that those which thou hast given mee bee with mee even where I am that they may behold my glorie which thou hast given mee it was one of Christ last suits to his father that we should be brought home unto him This is another comfort to the Church that one day they shall enjoy Christ and live with him for ever in glory howsoever they may have a great deale of trouble and affliction here as Revel 19. 6 7. there was a great voyce like a clap of Thunder saying Halleluiah for our Lord God Almighty hath raigned let us bee glad and rejoice and give glorie to him for the mariage of the Lambe is come and his Wife hath made her sâ—lfe ready All harts should bee filled with joy for this and all soules should bee replenished with glâ—dnesse for that one day the marriage shall bee solemnized when wee shall bee brought home unto him to live with him for ever Lastly seeing the Church is the Bride and the Spouse of Christ therefore he will not bee ashamed of us no good man will be ashamed of his wife though she be but meane in any place nor before any company no more will Christ be ashamed of us but will confesse us before God though we be but meane as Heb. 2. 11. For both he that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all of one wherefore hee is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy Name unto my brethren in the midst of the Church will I sing praises unto thee And againe behold here am I and the children that thou hast given me so Luk. 12. 8. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him shall the Sonne of Man confesse before God and his Angels As Ioseph confessed his father and brethren before Pharoah and was not affraid of them so will Christ one day acknowledge his Brethren the Elect of God this is another comfort that Christ will not be ashamed of us howsoever wee are not respected and regarded here yet one day we shall be highly promoted Christ will say to us Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the World Therefore beloved brethren sequester your thoughts from things present and think on the things to come think upon this joyfull meeting of Christ and all the holy people of God consider how great will our comfort be at that time therefore love Iesus Christ be carefull to passe your time here in holinesse and feare labour to repent of your sinnes and to get faith in Christ that yee may finde favour with God at that time Now there is another thing that I would commend unto you in regard of the time That seeing Christ is such a comfortable Husband to us let us take heed we doe not displease him we see a good wife will be loth to displease her husband at any time if she hath given him any occasion of offence she will not be at rest till she be reconciled and her husband pacified and pleased with her so seeing it is manifest at this present by evident tokens that our loving Husband is displeased by taking away the comforts of the Earth for what a thing is it that wee should live on the Earth and yet not see the fruits of it comfortably but be strangers from it in regard of the multitude of our sinnes therefore I say seeing we see him displeased with us let us not be at rest till we be reconciled unto him let us repent us of our sinnes pray unto him and never give over till he be pacified and pleased with us SERMON LXIV 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth THe greater the Church of God is the more is our comfort to be members of it therefore I hope it will not be tedious to any to speake further of the dignities and priviledges of the Church for if one have a stately House or a fruitfull Field hee will not bee weary to heare one tell him of the goodly Scituation and Commodities that doth belong unto it so because the glory of the Church is our glory therefore it shall not be amisse nor I hope tedious to any that I insist to speake of the dignities of the Church of God Fourthly the dignitie of the Church is conspicuous in that it is called the Pillar and ground of Truth A metaphor taken from building that as a Pillar sustaines and upholds the house from falling so the Church of God is a Pillar to uphold the Scripture and the Gospell which otherwise the prophane multitude of the World would let fall and it cannot stand with another Societie but only with the Church of God because there God is knowne so we see Psal 76. It is said God is knowne is Iuda his Name is great in Israel For in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Zion So also Psal 147. 19. Hee sheweth his Word unto Iaakob His Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have they knowne his Iudgements so then it is an honour peculiar belonging to the Church of God to uphold and maintaine the doctrine of saving truth which otherwise would bee extinguished by the prophane multitude of the World Now two wayes the Church is the Ground and Pillar of Truth 1. Because it doth preserve and keepe the Tables of Truth 2. Because it doth deliver the doctrine of Truth
elect Angells are pure and Holy and cannot lye Now for the Booke of Iudith that is a storie devised for the Credit of the Iewes for there was never such a King as is there spoken of amongst the Iewes nor such a high Priest nor so long a time of tranquillitie and peace for so many yeeres together as is spoken of Chap. 6. 7 8. And for Ecclesiasticus Chap. 24. 12. there the eternall wisedome is said to bee a creature Therefore hereby it may appeare that although there bee some good things in them yet they rast of the vessell of earth whence they came and shew that they came not from heaven as the Canonicall did therefore the Church had good reason and ground not to receive these Bookes as the Scripture and also to preserve the true Canon of the Scripture without addition or subtraction and indeed it is well when the two Testaments may meet together without parting that their lippes may kisse each other to joine Moses and Christ the Law and the Gospell together seeing that the last words of the Old Testament ends with a Curse and the New beginneth with a blessing this is the generation of Iesus Christ the Sonne of David the Sonne of Abraham The uses are Seeing it hath beene the care of the Church to preserve the true rule and Canon of the Scripture without addition or distraction wee should blesse God and bee thankfull that hee hath not left us without a rule in so many worldly distractions where Kingdome is set against Kingdome one learned man against another in such varietie of opinions yet hee hath not left us without a guide to direct both our lives and consciences in the right way if wee will obey it as it is Esai 8. 29. To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them so Iohn 5. 39. saith Christ search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of mee to the same purpose also 2 Pet. 1. 19. saith hee Wee have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. Therefore we see that God hath given us a rule to direct us by in the time of distraction and danger If one should have a long jorney to goe and one should put into his hand a glasse that would shew him every step hee should take that hee might not step one step awry how thankfull would this man bee such a glasse is the Scripture for wee have a long journey to goe from earth to Heaven wherefore the Lord hath put this glasse into our hands that is hee hath given us the Scripture to shew us every step which wee should take that if wee set but one foot awry wee may see it Therefore how thankfull should wee bee to God for it Act. 17. 11. when Paul had preached the word there being opposition amongst them they got to the Bible and searched out the truth of the matter whether it were so or no whereupon it is said many of them beleeved So when the learned men and preachers have oppositions there being distraction and diversities of opinions amongst them the Lord hath given us a rule Wee must to the Scriptures Therefore thankes bee to God hee hath not left us to erre and wander but hath given us a direction to guide us Augustin saith well concerning this point if there bee any distraction or opposition about this thing or that thing let Christ bee the Iudge for hee speaketh in the Scripture therefore this is an excellent blessing which we are to bee thankfull for that God hath given us a Rule to walke by The second use is seeing God hath given us a rule to walk by therefore no man can excuse himselfe and say I would have done it if I had knowen it or if some body had told it mee or if I had a rule to goe by Now there is no man can excuse himselfe and say hee hath not a Rule for God hath left him one in his word which makes all unexcusable as Iohn 15. 22. Christ speakes If I had not come and spoken to them they should not have had sinne but now their sinne abideth so if God had not left us a rule and a direction to guide our selves by in the Bible wee should have had no sinne but because God hath given us such a rule to walke by therefore if wee walke not according to it wee have no cloake for our sinne Seeing God hath left us a rule to walke by It must bee our wisedome to make use of this rule in our thoughts speeches and actions Wee see a man is much the better that hath a rule to worke by for hee will stick it at his backe worke by aime and not by ghesse so Psal 119. 33. saith David Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it to the end As if hee should say let mee but know thy will and I am contented to doe it If once wee know Gods will wee must direct all our speeches and actions to bee ruled by it It is a great infamy to any man to come into an order and not to hold him to his order as to bee a Soldier or a Scholler but much more to bee a Christian and yet not to humble ones self to the rules of Christianitie how just shall our condemnation bee the Rule of Gods Word teacheth a man to bee temperate and not to bee overtaken with surfeting and drunkennesse to bee mercifull to deale conscionably in our wayes and not to mispend our time to repent of our sinnes and therefore when men will not hold them to their rule to live temperatly walk holily and to make conscience of their wayes to deale truly and justly with men to take heede they doe not mispend their time to repent them of their sinnes if they doe not these things they are fallen from their rule and shamed in that they hold not to it Augustin saith there bee a number of things that seeme to bee straight but bring them to the rule and then wee may see their obliquities so there bee a number of things that seeme to be straight and good but lay them to the Rule bring them to the Scriptures and to the Law of God then wee may see a number of obliquities in them and how short they come of the Rule as 1 King 17. when Elias applied himselfe to the Child 's dead bodie his face to the Childs and his hands to the Childs hands then did appeare the dissimilitude between them and how short the Child came of him So when we shall compare our actions with the Law of God then wee shall see the dissimilitude and disproportions betweene them and when wee see how short
hinder a man from Christ 121. * How a strong Christian weakned by sinne may know whether the holy Ghost bee in him or no. 505. Christians of all men most happy because Christ is their Lord. 99. ¶ Good is to be done to Christians as they are Christians 461. †What the Church of God is 525. The Church Triumphant Militant 520. 530. No member of the Triumphant that is not of the Militant Church 530. The great blessing it is to be a member of the Church 566. ¶ Wee must beleeve a not in the Church 523. ¶ The Church a mixed company of good and bad 537. How the Church is one 534. The diverse estates of the Church here in this world 534. The Church sometimes hidden 535. ¶ The Church power at one time than another 537. Of cleaving to the Church 537. ¶ The blessings that proceed from the peace of the Church 536. ¶ The dignities of the Church 539. The Church as the Citie of God excels all other cities in foure respects 539. The Church the Body of Christ 542. * Christ Loveth Indoweth Adorneth Acquitteth Bringeth home Glorifieth the Church his Spouse 544. Vniversality a property of the Church 574. The Church the pillar and ground of truth 549. The Church preserves the Letters Canon Authority of the Scripture 550. Holinesse a property of the Church 569. Iudgement of the world mixture of good and bad remainder of sinne seeme to take away the holinesse of the Church 569. The Church said to bee Holy by 1. Faith and good conversation 2. Impâ—tation of Christs righteousnesse 3. Inherent holinesse in the true members 4. Having the means of holinesse 570. Reasons why there is no salvation without the Church 565. ¶ The Church Betâ—lehem thither we must goe to finde Christ 126. * All things tend to the good of the Church as crosse wheeles in a clocke 88. ¶ The come unto me in glory depends on the come unto me in grace 446. ¶ Christ comes to a man when things bee at the worst 115. ¶ The comfort of the Holy Ghost excels all other comforts 511. To appropriate Christs merit a great comfort 124. †Two times to commend our soules to God In danger every day 258. 3. grounds of coÌ„mending our selves to God because hee is the Father of Spirits our Father in Christ hath afforded us former favours 258. Why Christ gives signes of his comming 402. God communicates his wisdome c. to us we our griefes to him 583. Christ communicates to us Himselfe right of his death merit Power of Spirituall life Dignity of his owne estate 584 We communicate to Christ our Nature Sinnes Troubles and dangers 383. Christ communicates his graces to his Church 341. Of the communion of the Saints 579. By the communion of Saints a Christian hath a thousand helps 597. ¶ The communion of Saints consists in communion with God with Christ one with another 582 Foure lets of the communion of saints 605. The communion one with another consists in the commmuion of the 1. Living with the living 587 c. 2. Living and the Dead in wishing well to conversing with one another 598 3. Dead with the dead in 1. Lying together in the Grave 2. Being members of Christ 3. Being gathered to the Saints departed 599. The communion of the living with the living stands in community of Affection 587. Graces 588. Spirituall sacrifices ibid. Temporall blessings 590. Bearing one with another 594. The communitie of goods is limited in the Excesse Defect 592. Communions of the wicked 579. Christs company a great comfort 243. †Christs complaint on the crosse 168. Christ conceived of the flesh of the Virgin 105. †by the power of the holy Ghost how 106. Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost that he might be pure and without sin 107. †The stirre that was at Christs conception 108. * Of the condemnation of Christ 197. Conscience compared to a Booke wherein all things are written 207. ¶ To sin against conscience a fearefull thing 205. †207. †The property of a good conscience to be moved at Gods judgements 206. ¶ Bad consciences troubled at Christs comming 132. ¶ Wicked mens consciences may be sealed for a time but one day they shall be opened 184. ¶ No flying from an evill conscience 205. ¶ An evill conscience the worst accuser 207. ¶ A Christian though contemn'd in his life is honoured in his grave 278. ¶ Constancie in a good course requisite thogh without successe 199. * Of the conviction at the last day 437. Conversion makes men labour to draw others to the same estate 238. * Confession of sinne Cleering the Iustice of God Zeale for the honour of God a signe of conversion 238. No man knowes the instant of his conversion 305. No cost to be spared for Christ 280. ¶ Covetousnesse moved Iudas to betray Christ 181. †The workes of the Creation not to be lookt on but with due consideration 65. ¶ The Author Substance Manner Subject Estate Time Order End of the Creation c. 64. The motion multitude of the Creatures prove a Deitie 43. ¶ The Creature not God cause of sinne and defect 67. †We ought not to abuse the Creatures seeing God made them 65. Wee ought to pray for restauration to the creatures 68. * Christ died the death of the Crosse because it was most Accursed Shamefull Painefull Apparent 211. Christs behaviour on the Crosse 224. The seven last words of Christ on the Crosse 224. c. The scandall of the Crosse weakens faith 321. Christs Disciples must bee carriers of the Crosse 214. ¶ No man must make a Crosse to himselfe but bee contented if God lay it on him 214. ¶ All Crosses must be borne ibid. The place where Christ was crucified 215. Why Christ was crucified aloft 213. * How Christ was led to be crucified 213. What torments are expressed in the word crucified 219. ¶ Vses from Christs crucifying 220. c. Five falsehoods in Popish crucifixes 223. Christs Cup what it is 160. * Sinne brings Gods curse upon 〈◊〉 467. * D ALL needlesse dangers are carefully to be shunned 338. †Whether the darkenesse of the Sunne at Christs passion was all the world over 165. †The horrid darknesse of wicked men at the last day 165. ¶ The holy Ghost illuminates as a window in a darke house 509. Dead bodies members of Christ having communion with him 600. Incertainty of death should stirre us up to conscionable walking 237. †At the day of death most care is to bee had of our soules 238. ¶ 257. ¶ 258. * Death but a departing 143. * The good change a Christian makes by death 242. ¶ The greatest extremitie befals Christians at the time of their deaths 169. ¶ We ought to prepare for death 179. †Christs Death 261. Voluntarie 265. The manifestation thereof 266. The Power thereof 269. ¶ The fruits of Christs Death are to us freedome from the Eternall Death Seing of Death Curse of Death Power of
workings of the spirit Simile 1 2 3 Vse 1. Simile 2 3 Simile Sixe benefits we have by the holy Ghost 1 To shew us our miserable estate Simile Simile Simile 2 Illumination of Gods Will. Two waies the Holy Ghost teacheth First by opening our hearts Simile Secondly by strengthening our memory Simile Thirdly Holy Regiment and Government Simile Simile The Holy Ghost governesus two wayes First by restraining evill Secondly by stirring us up to good The fourth Benefit is to give power to perfâ—orme holy duties Simile Impossible to a naturall man 1 2 3 Fifthly comfort in distresse How the comfort of the Holy Ghost exâ—â—ds 〈◊〉 other comfort 1 For 〈◊〉 2 In regard of Puritie Simile 3 In regard of Death 1 In affliction by perswading of Gods love 2 2 By turning all things to our good 3 By comfort that our troubles shall have an end 3 Wayes the Holy Ghost comforts in trouble 1 2 3 2 The Holy Ghost comforts in distresse of conscience How the Holy Ghost comforts in distresse of conscience 1 2 3 At the day of death the Holy Ghost comforts 1 Comfort 2 Comfort 3 Comfort 6 Benefit Vse Simile SERM. LVIII The first Conclusion The first Ground Simile The second Ground Simile The wayes to quench the Spâ—rit First by withdrawing the matter Secondly by powring on water Thirdly by smothering Simile 4 Negligence Simile 2 Conclusion 1 2 Simile 3 Conclusion Foure grounds that the Spirit once truely given is never finally lost 1 The â—romise of God 2 The Power of God 3 Christs Prayer 4 From the Nature of the seed 1 2 Simile 3 Simile 4 Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile How we may retaine the Holy Ghost Five meanes to nourish the Spirit The first use of meanes Simile Simile Secondly not to grieve the Spirit Simile The Spirit grieved two wayes First sinning against Illumination Simile Secondly by disobedience to his motions Thirdly to marke the removes of the Spirit Simile Simile Fourthly to put the Spirit to imployment Simile 5 Not to over burthen the spirit with cares Simile Simile Simile SER. LIX 1 Vnder what forme wee must beleeve ART IX 2 What wee must beleeve of the Church 1 That God hath a Church Vse Quest Ans Vse 2. Simile 1 What the Church of God is The definition of the Church 1 The Church a company Simile 2 A company of called ones Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. 3 Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 4 Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile SER. LX. Secondly the Parts of the Church First the triumphant Church The Saints are glorified now Reason 1. Object Sol. Reason 2. First against naturall reason Simile Object Sol. Secondly against sanctified reason Secondly the Church militant A man must be a member of the militant before â—e can be of the Church Triumphant Simile Vse 1. Weake Christians deceived Object Sol. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Simile SER. LXI Particular parts of the Church Simile Object Sol. 1 2 How the Church is one Simile Simile Vse 1. 3 The diverse states of the Church Simile Simile Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. First it is a mixed company Simile Secondly it may be more pure at one time than another Simile Simile When we may not Separate lawfully from the Church 1 2 3 When we may separate Ans. 1. Affirm Simile 2 SERM. LXII 4 Five priviledges and dignities of the Church The first dignitie of the Church The Citie of excels others in foure respects 2 This societie is to preserve soules especially Simile 3 All commodities goe thither for spirituall life 4 Here is spirituall freedome Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. 2 Dignitie of the Church 1 Consequent That Christ is the head of the Church onely three proofes 1 Simile 2 3 2 Consequent Simile Simile 3 Consequent Simile Simile Vse 3 Dignitie of the Church Simile 1 He loves the Church Three wayes SERM. XLIII 1 Signe of Love Simile Simile 2 Signe of Love 3 Declaration of Love Simile Simile 2 Deduction Simile Simile 3 Deduction 4 Deduction Simile Simile 5 Deduction 6 Deduction Simile Simile Simile 4 Dignitie of the Church Church ground and Pillar of Truth two wayes 1 The Letter of the Scripture Simile Simile Simile 1 Reason prooving the letter of â—he Scripture hath beene kept uncorrupted Reason 2. Reason 3. Simile Reason 4. 1 Argument Reason 5. Vse Quest Sol. Simile Simile Quest. Ans The first proofe of true Translation The second proofe of true Translation Simile Object Sol. 1 Sol. 2 Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile What Canonicall Scripture is Simile Why the Apocrypha was not equally received into the Church foure grounds 1 The Iewes received them not 2 Apocrypha writers were not Penmen of the Scriptures 1 2 3 They bee not of the witnesses Christ will stand to 4 The wants and imperfections of the Bookes bewray so much Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile Quest Sol. Simile Seven Evidences of the Scriptures 1 The Puritie of it 2 By the maiestie of it Simile Simile 3 By the Power of it 4 By the Predictions of it 5 Evidence by the sinceritie of it Simile 6 Evidence the consent of writers 1 In the matter 2 Manner 7 Evidence by Naturall Reason Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Vse 4. Simile Simile Fifth dignitie of the Church There is no salvation out of it Simile Simile Foure reasons why thereis no salvation out of the Church Reason 1. 1 Ioh. 5. 19. Col. 1. 15. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Simile 2 Reason Simile Reason 3. Reason 4. Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Simile Quest Ans Simile Quest Ans Simile 2 The Properties of the Church 3 Things seeming to oppugne the Holinesse of the Church 2 Simile 3 Foure wayes the Church is Holy 1 How the true Church may erre two waies 1 Simile 2 Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile 4 Object Defects of Popish Holinesse 1 Failing 2 Failing Simile Simile Vse 1. Simile Simile Simile Vse 2. Vse 4. Simile 2 Propertie of the Church In three regards the Church is sâ—â—d to bee Catholike 1 Of place Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile 2 Of Persons Simile Simile 3 In Regard of Time Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Object Ans 1. Ans 2. Simile Three Reasons proving that Papists cannot be the true Catholikes 1 2 1 Tim. 2. 5. 3 Vse Simile Two Reasons why God withholds worldly things from his Children 1 Simile Simile 2 2 Sorts of blessings given to the Church Some in this life some in that to come Simile The first blessing God bestowes on his people in this life is the Communion of Saints Communions of the wicked 1 2 3 Simile 1 Communion with God Simile Our Communion with God stands in two things 1 2 Simile 2 Communion with Christ Ioh. 1. vlt. Christ communicates foure things to us 1 Himselfe Quest Sol. Simile 2 The right of his death and merit Simile Simile 3 Power of spirituall
Ambrose whilst they bite at the baite of some pleasing notions they are at the same time catched with the Spirits hooke Hee was skilfull in the originall languages and thereupon an excellent Text-man well read in writers that were of note in the severall ages of the Church which made him a well-furnished and able Divine his judgement was cleere and his conscience tender and which helpt him most he brought to the great worke of the ministerie an holy and gratious heart which raised and carried him to aimes above himselfe and the world In his conversing he was modest fruitfull wise and winning in his expressions witty and gracefull in so much that hee hath left a fresh and a sweet remembrance of him untill this day Towards his end her grow more spirituall setting light by all things here below and onely waited as his expression was for the comming of the Comforter at length his worke being finished breathing out his life with that wish of the spouse Yea come Lord Iesus Thus much I thought not unfit to be made knowne of the Man Now for the Worke it selfe it must be considered by the learned Reader that these things were spoken though to a People high-raisd in knowledge and more refined than ordinary by his teaching yet to the People not with a purpose that they should come to the view and censure of the learned But though they were delivered to the peopâ—â—â— yet are they not so popular but if my love to the man and the Worke deceive me not they will have the best Reader either more learned or more holy or both It must therefore bee remembred for the more favourable acceptation of this Worke that these Sermons were taken by one of his Parish a man though pious and of good parts yet not skilfull in the learned languages and therefore it must needs bee that many apt and acute sentences of the Fathers by which this learned man did use to beautifie and strengthen the Points hee delivered are fallen to the ground and lost for lacke of skill to take up But howsoever much of the spirits bee lost yet heere you have the corpes and bulke of the discourse and not without some life and vigour wherein this is peculiar in his manner of handling that hee hath chosen fit texts of Scripture to ground his exposition of every article upon Now for the Argument it selfe the Creed I thinke it fit to premise something because it hath beene omitted by the Author or at least not gathered with the rest The Creed is of middle authority betweene divine and humane and called the Apostles Creed not onely for consanguintty with the Apostles Doctrine but because it is taken out of the Apostles writings and therefore of greatest authority next the Scriptures It is nothing else but A summary comprehension of the counsell and worke of God concerning our supernaturall condition heere and hereafter The Doctrine of Salvation is spread through the Scriptures as spirits in the Arteries and blood in the veines as the soule in the body And heere for easier carriage the most necessary Points are gathered together as so many pearles or pretious stones that we might have a ready use of them upon all occasions being as it were a little Bible or Testament that Christians of all rankes as suited for all conditions may beare about with them every where without any trouble In every Article there is both a shallow and a depth milke for babes and meat for strong men Though there be no growth in regard of fundamentall Principles which have beene alike in all ages of the Church yet there hath and will be a proficiencie in regard of conclusions drawne out of those Principles The necessities of every Christian and the springing up of unsound opinions in the Church will continually inforce diligence and care in the further explication and application of these fundamentall truths It will not therefore bee amisse to set downe a few Directions for the more cleere understanding of the Creed and for the better making use of it And first for the understanding of it It hath the Name of Creed or Beleefe from the act exercised about it to shew that it doth not onely containe Doctrine to be beleeved but that that doctrine will doe us no good unlesse by mingling it with our Faith we make it our Beleefe therefore both the Act and the Object are implyed in one word Beleefe Secondly from the Execution in creation and incarnation wee must arise to Gods decree nothing done in time which was not decreed before all times knowne unto the Lord are all his workes from the beginning of the world Thirdly wee must arise from one Principall Benefit to all that follow and accompany it as in forgivenesse of sins follow righteousnesse Peace and Ioy the Spirit of Sanctification Christian liberty c. though the Articles be nakedly propounded yet are we to beleeve all the fruits and priviledges So to Gods creating of heaven and earth we must joyne his Providence in upholding and ruling all things in both Fourthly in the Consequent wee are to understand all thâ—â— went before by way of Cause or Preparation as in the Crucifying of Christ his preceding Agony and the Cause of it Our sinnes and the love of God and Christ in those sufferings c. Fiftly though we are to beleeve Circumstances as well as the thing it selfe yet not with the same necessity of Faith as it is more necessary to beleeve that Christ was crucified than that it was under Pontius Pilate though when any Circumstance is revealed we ought to beleeve it and to have a preparation of minde to beleeve whatsoever shall be revealed yet in the maine points this preparation of minde is not sufficient but there must bee a present and an expressed faith We must know that as in the Law he that breaketh one Commandement breaketh all because all come from the same authority so in the grounds of faith he that denies one in the true sense of it denies all for both Law and Faith are copulatives the singling out of any thing it contrary to the obedience of faith For Particular and dayly use wee must knowâ— First that every Article requires a particular faith not onely in regard of the Person beleeving but likewise in regard of the application of the Article beleeved or else the Dev â—â— might say the Creed for he beleeves there is a Creator and that there is a Remission of sinnes c. but because hee hath no share in it it inrageth him the more Our adversaries are great enemies to particular faith and thinke we coine a thirteenth Article when wee inforce particular assurance because say they particular men are not named in the Scripture and what is not in Scripture cannot be a matter of faith But there is a Double Faith a Faith which is the Doctrine wee doe beleeve and Faith which is the grace whereby
wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
God to despise you when you come to die therefore it is good to make God our friend whilest we be alive This is the counsell that Christ giveth us Luk. 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousnesse the Fathers take it for the poore that wee should make friends of the poore But the meaning is that we should make God our friend in our life time that we may have a friend of him when we come to die therefore because every man must commend himselfe to God when he dies it is good to please him and to walke holily in all our courses that we may commend with boldnesse our soule to him at the last gaspe Secondly what it was bee commended into the hands of God His Spirit his body he left to Pilates mercy but all his care was for his soule therefore he commends that into the hands of God which may teach us two things first though our bodies dye yet our soules doe live all the Scriptures shew this Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the Spirit shall returne to God who gave it so Revel 6. 9. And when hee had opened the fifth seale I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the Word of God and for the Testimonie which they mainetained so also Heb. 12. 22. For yee are not come to the mount that might bee touched c. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the city of the living God the celestiall Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels and to the congregation and Church of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect So it is a plaine truth in Christianity that though our bodies dye our soules are immortall therefore seeing our soules never dye but shall live for ever how carefull ought we to be for them and to passe our time in holinesse and feare before God as they may live with God for ever in heaven Indeed if our soules might dye our care might bee the lesse but seeing they shall never dye it is a wondrous corruption amongst most to see how they cloath the body feed and physick that runne from market to market to make provision for it which yet must dye and their immortall soules they take no care for therefore one saith well O man of all thy parts take care of thy immortall part that which never dieth Secondly it teacheth us that seeing Christ commended his Spirit into the hands of God wee see what the especiall care of a Christian should bee not to care so much what become of his body so his soule may be saved Christ he left his body to Pilates mercy but he commended his soule into the hands of God so a Christians care must be especially that his soule may be saved that it may come safe into the hands of God what soever become of the body this was the care of the holy theefe Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome all his care was for the saving of his soule it being provided for hee cares not what become of his body we see when a mans house is on fire if he have a pretious jewell he will labour to save that though the rest perish so seeing the soule is the most pretious jewell whatsoever thy labour and paines be labour to lay up thy soule safe in the hands of God as Steven did when a storme of stones came about his eares hee bowed himselfe downe and said Lord Iesus receive my soule all his care was for the saving thereof that it might come safe into the hands of God as if he should say Lord receive my soule I care not what becommeth of my body so that thou save my soule all shall be well this will content me Thirdly the time when he commended his Spirit at the time of his death which was the very close of his life when he was ready to breathe out his last breath which may teach us that every man should make this his practise when hee comes to dye to bee sure to make a holy close of his life then it is a time to commend his soule to God Now there bee other times for a man to commend his soule to God as first in the time of danger and perill so David did when he was in perill of Saul Psalm 31. 5. saith he Lord into thy hands doe I commend my spirit because I have no body else to commend it to nor no body to trust it with in assurance of safety therefore Lord into thy hands I commend it likewise Psalm 10. 14. the poore committeth himselfe unto the Lord seeing no man regards him nor cares for him hee commends himselfe to the care of God so that the time of distresse and danger is a time to commend our soules to God There is also another time that wee should commend our soules to God and that is daily because our life is uncertaine therefore wee should every morning when we doe rise and every night when we goe to bed not knowing not what will befall us in the day commend our soules to God there bee a number of men in the world that bee greatly overtaken in this they never commend their soules into the hands of God if a nurse goe abroad and leave her childe and doe not commit it to the care of some body to keepe and to looke after it if the childe catch any hurt they will blame the nurse for it so if wee doe not commit our selves our wives and children to God in the morning and at night if any hurt befall them we may thanke our selves for it the blame lieth upon our selves 1 Sam. 18. 28. we see when David came into the host to his brethren they asked him this question with whom hast thou left those few sheepe So we should commend our temporall estate to the keeping of some body where it may be safe and if we should commend that to keeping much more must we commend oursoules to God Now as at these times wee should commit our soules to God yet more especially we must doe it when we come to dye because the devill will then bee busie and wee have a long journey to goe if a man were to passe into France and to carry all his goods with him that hee hath scraped together all his life time hee would looke into what ship hee did commit his goods and if hee had a rotten bottome hee would beware how he committed his goods to it so seeing we are to passe from earth to heaven a long journey we must take heed wee doe not commit our soules to a rotten bottome but bee carefull to lay them up into the hands of God that so they may remaine safe there Fourthly upon what ground he commends his soule into the
descention into Hell as all doe agree Now for the particulars I must grant there bee divers opinions of it some thinke one thing some another yea there is not onely diversities of opinions between the Protestants and the Papists but in both sides even in the bosome of their Churches and amongst themselves It is the opinion of some Papists that Christ was not in the place of the damnd of Hel but they say he was in the skirts and brimmes thereof but Bellarmine hee dissents from them and affirmes he was in the vaults and chambers in Hel and another saith he was not in Hell bodily but by efficacy and vertually so we see the Papists be not all of one minde but there be divers opinions amongst them Now before wee goe any further there bee two sorts of men that must be satisfied First such as say seeing there is such a diversitie of opinions they will beleeve nothing till all be agreed To such I answere if thou wilt beleeve nothing till all be agreed then thou wilt never beleeve at all and so thou shalt never be saved because there have been dissentions in all ages Moses was withstood by Iannes and Iambres Elias with Baals Priests Ieremie with the false Prophets Christ with the Pharisies and the Apostles with Simon Mogus so there hath been diversitie of opinions from the beginning and will be as long as there is the seede of the vvoman and the seede of the Serpent so long as the Flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so long as we see but in part as it were in a glasse and therefore if thou wilt not beleeve till all agree thou wilt never beleeve and so thou shalt never bee saved as in Chrysostomâ— time many heathen came unto him and told him that they would bee Christians but that there were such diversities of opinions amongst them and such divisions every one pretending the truth Now Origen doth worthily answer this saith he Wilt thou not be a Christian because there be diversity of opinions thou hadst as good say thou wilt not be of any calling for there is no calling but hath its diversities of opinions and dissent in judgement wilt thou bee a Philosopher some of them be of one judgement and some of another and there is an hundred opinions amongst them Wilt thou bee a Physition there is diversity of judgements amongst them too Wilt thou be a Lawyer why one interprets the law one way and one another way yea there is not any Art but therein are dissentions in judgement one from the other and therefore if thou wilt doe nothing till all bee agreed thou canst not be of any calling It is a strange thing that men should doe more foolishly in religion than in any thing else If a man hath his lands to sow and he goe and aske his neighbour when it is best to sow some will say at such a time and some at such a time and every man will speake according to the judgement and light of knowledge he hath therefore wilt thou neglect sowing thy land so it may be thou mayest be starved Now since for diversitie of mens opinions concerning the season thou wilt not omit the time of sowing much more doe not thou neglect the saving of thy soule This is the madnesse of men they will not neglect the sowing of their land nor the building of their houses and yet they will neglect the saving of their soules Another sort of men that must bee satisfied are such who say if great Doctors and learned men are not able to settle themselves how shall we bee able that are unlearned I answere that if a man make conscience of plaine truths God will reveale the other so farre forth as shall bee needfull for him Saint Paul gives us a rule for it Philip. 3. 15. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveale even the same thing unto you Neverthelesse in that whereunto wee are come let us proceede by one rule that wee may minde one thing Now there be some truths that wee all generally agree in we hold that whoredome is a sin that drunkennes swearing lying and slandering our neighbour be sinnes and dealing unjustly is a sin and if we make not conscience of these knowne truthes it is just we should care and wander in the great matters therefore let us make conscience of knowne truthes and God will reveale the other to us As we see Acts 10. in the example of Cornelius he being ignorant in a maine point fasted praied made conscience of knowne truthes and God did informe him in the same by Peter so likewise Peter in the same Chapter being ignorant of the conversion of the Gentiles preached and prayed on the house toppe and making conscience of that knowne truth God did reveale the other to him in a vision So likewise Apollos Acts 18. knowing nothing but the Baptisme of Iohn went on and preached life and salvation by Christ and making conscience of that knowne truth God did reveale the other hee stirred up Aquila and Priscilla and they informed him therefore let us make conscience of knowne truthes and God will reveale the other as far form as shall be needfull for us If a man powre water into a glasse if the glasse foule the water and mud it hee will stay his hand and will powre in no more but if it remaines cleare hee fils it up to the top so if God powre knowledge into a man if he marres his knowledge or soyles it then God will stay his hand but if hee with his knowledge labour to glorifie God and make conscience of his wayes then God will fill him up to the toppe This may bee the stay of a true Christian when great Doctors erre and wander and be unsetled if thou make conscience of thy wayes and walke in the plaine truths God will reveale unto thee the other Now having satisfied these two sorts of men I will shew you first what I allow not of secondly what I take to be more probable and come more neere the truth thirdly what I take to be the truth in my judgement all under correction of the more grave and learned First what it is that I reject and allow not of for though no man can presently know the certaine truth of this yet it is good to avoid the dangerous opinions As a man that is at sea if he cannot hit of the right haven to arrive at yet if he can avoid the dangerous rockes and sands it is well So although we cannot know all certaine truths yet it is well if we can avoid uncouth and false opinions Now there be foure opinions which I allow not of First That his body descended into hell this in my judgement stands not with the Scripture for Christs body was in the grave three nights and three dayes
the rest in like manner Matth. 17. Christ did take but thâ—â— of his Disciples with him when hee was transfigured in the Mount which must teach us that every one must bee contented with his assignement This is the reason why hee raiseth some to comfort and leaves some in heavinesse some are rich and others are poore some in sicknesse and others in health because there is a speciall dispensation When Christ had told Peter what death hee should die and that he should be crucified Peter out of a nice curiositie asketh straight What shall this man doe Christ checks him and saith If I will that he tarry till I come what is that to thee follow thou me looke thou to thine owne calling to thine owne dutie follow thou me So when wee see such speciall dispensations that some bee rich and some poore some bee in health and some in sicknesse some in ease and some in paines some in comfort and some in heavinesse some in prosperitie and some in adversitie and yet as holy and as good men as we yea it may be better and holier than thou which art in prosperitie when wee see this I say let every one labour to bee contented with his owne estate and looke to his owne calling and dutie let him follow Christ because there be divers dispensations for thou mayest bee in comfort and thy brother in heavinesse thou mayest bee rich and thy brother poore and yet as holy and as good as thou nay it may be better therefore be thou contented with thy owne lot Thirdly The time when they did rise after Christs resurrection before Christ did rise though the Rockes did cleave and the Graves open yet there was not a man that did stirre or come out of the Graves but when Christ was risen then well was hee that could get up with him which must teach us that seeing Christ is risen wee must rise I doe not meane that wee can rise out of the Graves for that wee must not looke to doe till the last dâ—y but we must looke to rise out of sinne spiritually to newnesse and holinesse of life therefore if Christ be risen rise thou in thy affection It is Pauls exhortation Colos. 3. 1. If Christ be risen seeke the things that bee above where Christ is you that be Christians and hope to bee partakers of Christ doe you rise in your affections do not lie still in your sins but rise to newnesse and holinesse of life We see in experience that if the Master be up it is a shame for the Servant to lye still so seeing Christ our Master is risen let us rise with him to newnesse and holinesse of life and therefore let us not lie still in the grave of our sinnes for if wee doe not rise here in this life with Christ we shall not rise with comfort at the day of judgement I did shew you in the morning that when the Divell is cast out of a man if he be not wise to hold his advantage and to shut him out he will make a returne againe and he will consult himselfe and say I have an old friend in such a place I will returne againe to him and then he will come with seven Divels worse than himselfe so that the end of that man is worse than the beginning therefore as Christ rose out of the grave doe thou rise out of thy sinnes We see in experience if a Toyle be set to catch Deere Men drive them upon it and set Dogges to hunt them in If the Deere runne full upon the Toyle Men will say nothing but if they runne aside then they will make an outcrie against them Even so the Divell deales with a man hee pitches his Toyles in many places and then labours to drive a man into them and as it were sets dogges subtill temptations and allurements to drive him in if the man runne headlong in his snares hee sayes nothing all is whist and quiet but if he runne aside and decline the way he would have him goe in then he cries out and makes a filthy stirre and will not be quiet till he either gets him in againe or quite and cleane loses him therefore if men be wise let them rise out of their sinnes whilest they live heere and then they shall be partakers with Christ in glory hereafter but if we doe not rise with him in this world in holinesse and newnesse of life wee shall not rise with him in the world to come in glory and happinesse for evermore Fourthly What they did when they were risen they went into the holy citie and did appeare to many Matth. 4. Ierusalem is called the holy citie because there was the meanes of holinesse and what did they there they did appeare to many The Greeke word is that they did shew themselves as witnesses of Christs resurrection of the power and of the grace of it some thinke if God would send some from the dead to testifie of the glory that the godly shall enjoy and of the paines that the wicked shall have men would repent of their sinnes and would beleeve but the truth is that if men that be dead should rise they would tell us no other things than the Scripture doth The Saints that did rise did witnesse of the power of Christs rising and of the grace of Christ So if all the holy people should bee brought out of their graves this it is that they would witnesse how blessedly men shall rise to glory as Matth. 17. when Christ was transfigured on the Mount there appeared Moses and Elias unto him and it is said they talked with him but whereof that S. Luke telleth us they talked of Christs death and the power of it here wee see the Saints when they did rise testified of the power of Christs Resurrection and of the grace of Christ and these holy people when Christ was transfigured on the Mount spake of Christ of his departure of his death and the fruites and benefits thereof which should teach us what the conference of Christians should be when they meete to talke of Christ of the grace of the Gospell of the great benefits wee have by him and of the happinesse in the life to come Fifthly what became of them this is a great question but as I thinke cannot be better answered than by answering one question by another What became of Moses bodie and of the bodies of the Angels that came to Abrahams Tent and did eate and drinke It is an opinion amongst some Divines that their bodies dissolved to the same matter they were made of when they had done the work of God they came for they laid aside their bodies so why might not these men when they rose againe and appeared having done the worke of God they came for have their bodies dissolved to dust their soules returning to the place they came from othersome hold that these Saints ascended into heaven
to comfort and the other to paine Thirdly besides these both particular judgements that befall particular and speciall men and the private judgement that is at the day of death there shall also a generall judgement and a solemne arraignment of this whole World where every person shall be judged and arraigned as we beleeve in our Christian profession From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead that is hee shall judge all sorts of people even every Man and Woman that hath lived in this World or shall live Now if any man demand what is the reason why there shall be a generall judgement seeing there is particular iudgements that light on particular men and the private judgement at the day of death I answere there be three reasons thereof First Because the Bodies must be judged as well as the Soules for seeing men sinne against God as well in their Bodies as in their Soules therefore both shall be judged as Revel 20. 12. the Evangelist saith And I saw the Dead both great and small stand before God they did not onely stand with bodies but with soules also for saith he The Sea gave up the dead in her and Death and Hell delivered up their Dead that were in them So we see the bodies rise againe to be judged as well as the Soules Secondly That there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God that all the World may see the judgements of God are just upon men for their sins as Rom. 2. 5. But thou after thy hardnesse of heart that cannot repent heapest upon thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgement of God therefore besides the private and close judgement there must bee a generall and solemne arraignement in the view of the whole world that so there may be a declaration of the just judgement of God Thirdly Because they shall not be judged as private persons but as publike in the same body that they lived in either in the body of the Saints or in the body of the wicked for they shall be judged as they be members of the same body they rise in and as they are found to have done good or bad accordingly shal the division be made as appears Mat. 25. 31. where it is said And before him shall bee gathered all Nations and hee shall separate them one from another as a sheapheard doth separate his Sheepe from the Goats and he shall set the one at his right hand and the other at his left hand c. Now because this point is a great and a very waighty one and to be considered before others in a Christians life being like the great wheel of a clocke it turnes all the inferior wheeles so if a man be once perswaded of this that he must give an account to God for all his actions and must stand before God in judgement it will make him to passe his daies holily and vertuously while he lives here and therefore let us see briefly what bee the proofes and grounds that there shall bee a judgement which are chiefly these foure following The first is taken From the Truth of God because hee hath said it and therefore it shall come to passe for God is not as Man that hee should lye neither as the Sonne of Man that he should repent He hath said it and shall hee in doe it and hath he spoken it and shall he not accomplish it As it is Num. 23. 19. Therefore whatsoever he hath said it shall come to passe in the time that he hath appointed Now that Christ hath said there shall be a judgement day there bee many Scriptures for it As Matth. 10. 15. Truely I say unto you it shall bee easier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorah in the day of judgement than for that Citie So also Matth. 12. 36. But I say unto you That of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give an account at the day of judgement And verse 41. The men of Ninevie shall rise up in judgement with this Generation and shall condemne it because they repented at the preaching of Ionas We see the Testimony of the Lord is plaine for this that there shall bee a judgement day Augustine saith God hath made us many promises and hath performed them and shall wee not thinke that the judgement day shall come according as hee hath foretold us It is said Psal 144. The Lord is righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes If the Lord hath promised any thing it shall come to passe for the Lord hath left his Scripture which is his hand-writing to assure us of the truth of it And therefore dost thou not beleeve that there shall bee a day of judgement The Lord himselfe shall answere thee thou hast the hand-writing of GOD and what must thou doe Looke into that and see what a company of things hee hath promised in his Word as unlikely as this which are all come to passe he hath promised that He would send his Sonne into the World to worke thy Redemption Looke into his Word thou hast his hand-writing hath he performed this promise Then assure thy selfe likewise that one day he will come to iudgement Hee hath promised that Hee will send downe his spirit that should lead them in all truth thou hast his hand writing see if this promise be come to passe then assure thy selfe withall he will come to judge this World hath he promised He will preach the Gospell to all Nation looke into the Scriptures hath hee performed it Why then never doubt but that thy body also shall rise because he hath foretold it The second is because it is the nature of Gods Iustice to give to every man according to his due desert good things to good men and evill things to evill men but it is not so here in this life but the best men bee in the worst estate for the most part and evill men in the best for as Salomon saith Eccles 9. 2. All things come alike to all there is one event to the just and to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner and he that sweareth as he that sweareth not or feareth an oath so the worst be in the best estate and the good be in the worst estate hereof Habakkuk complaines Chap. 1. 13. Thou art of pure eyes and canst not behold wickednesse wherefore dost thou looke on the transgressors and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than be here in this life there be many aberrations and swervings from the right rule of justice therefore there must bee a judgement to bring that which deflects from the rule to rectitude and straightnesse Againe Augustine speaking out of Pssalm 101. saith God hath
to the ensuing Acts. The third Act is The appearing of the signe of the Sonne of man after which signe immediately will follow Christs owne comming in Person unto judgement For the better clearing of this wee are to consider three things 1. Why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 2. What this signe is 3. What the Effects of it be First why it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excellencies sake because that Christ himselfe immediately upon the signe appeares for there be two sorts of signes either remooved signes such as precede and goe a long while before Christs comming which I mentioned heretofore or immediate signes such as are neer or in a manner joyned to his comming as some of the Prophets foretold long before Christs coÌ„ming but Iohn was the immediate forerunner he pointed at Christ and therefore when they saw Iohn they were rowsed up to the beholding of Christ so when we see this signe then we must presently looke for Christ for therefore it is called the signe of the Sonne of Man because of the excellencie that it goeth immediately before his comming Secondly What this signe is there bee divers opinions of this some thinke one thing and some another some take it to bee Christ himselfe but it cannot bee taken so because alwaies the signe is not the thing signified There is an opposition betweene these two so that the signe can never be the thing signified and therefore it is some other thing that is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man Some others take it to bee the burning up of this World because it is said that A firie streame issued out when the ancient of dayes sate upon his Throne But it cannot bee this because that this signe appeares in Heaven onely and this universall fire is not onely in Heaven but also in Earth Others take it to be the sound of the last Trumpet but it cannot bee this because there is a distinction betweene them for Christ tels us of the signe of the appearing of the Sonne of Man verse 300 and of the sound of the Trumpet verse 31. The Papists they say that it is the signe of the Crosse and Bellarmine saith that all the fathers doe so expound it But there is a Iesuite one of their own fellowes that contradicts him who affirmes it is not certainly found out what is meant by the signe of the Sonne of Man for the fathers doe diversly expound it therefore we may â—ee that Bellarmine is too bold to say that all the fathers expound it so because there is no man that reads the fathers but may see it otherwise for Origen takes it for the miraculous power and vertues of Christ Saint Ierome takes it to be Christ himselfe Chrysostome expounds it of the wounds that bee in the hands and feete and side of Christ therefore whereas Bellarmine saies the fathers doe expound it to bee the Crosse any man that will consult them may see there is no one of the fathers who expound it so besides there bee two reasons why I dare not assent to take the signe of the Sonne of man to be the Crosse First it is true that there is the signe of Christ but the Crosse is no where taken for the signe of Christ in the Scriptures therefore there is no ground for this opinion Some of the Papists thinke that it is the wooden Crosse but that was broken into divers shivers therefore if it had pleased God to make that the signe of the Sonne of Man hee would have preserved that and have kept it as he did the bones of Christ that one of them was not broken Againe it is not the wodden Crosse for that is a thing that is turned to corruption unlesse we will beleeve there is a resurrection of the Crosse as there is a resurrection of the body The Church of Rome indeede doth keepe a feast in honor to the Crosse and say that it shall be joyned with his comming but thence to inferre it shall be so is no good consequence Some of them againe doe thinke it shall not be the wooden Crosse but a crosse that shall be in the Ayre the truth whereof I finde no where in the Scripture And now to tell you my heart told me alwaies that Christ did expound it in this chapter and that the Disciples did understand what the signe was or else they would have asked him of it as they did Matth. 13. when hee told them of the tares Master say they Tell us the meaning of the tares Then I perused the Chapter and I did light on verse 27. where it is said As the lightning commeth from the East and shineth into the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of Man be That is with infinite brightnesse and splendor shall he come at that day In which place Christ tels his Disciples that there bee many shall say Loe here is Christ and there is Christ but beleeve them not for I will give you a signe of my comming and that is when you shall see infinite brightnesse and splendor that shall come from the body of Christ the brightnesse whereof shall darken all other lights When they shall see this it shall awaken the World and stirre up every man to looke for Christ Now that there shall be such brightnesse and splendor come from the body of Christ it is cleare by the Scriptures Revel 21. 23. And the citie hath no neede of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it for the glory of God did light it and the Lambe is the light of it So the brightnesse of Christs body shall bee infinite more than all the lights of this World and Matth. 7. when Christ was transfigured on the Mount His face did shine as the Sunne and his clothes were as white as the light Moses when he came from the Mountain and had talked with God his face did shine and there was great glory put upon him but yet there was great difference between the glory that was on Christ and his For first this glory was but onely on Moses face but this was all Christs body over Secondly when Moses put a veile over his face they could not see his glory but Christ did shine through his garments Thirdly the glory that was on Moses was fearefull that the people fled away but the glory that was on Christ was amiable for Peter sayes It is good being here let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Fourthly Moses could not communicate his glory to any but Christ he communicates his glory to others for Matth. 13. it is said That the Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Firmament So wee see that the glory of Christ is greater and yet this glory that was on Christ in
and Archangels Principalities and Powers Kings and Princes Now there bâ—e many eminencies and excellencies but at the day of judgement Christ shall put downe all rule and authoritie under his feete and then God shall be all in all Secondly God shall be all in all in the fulfilling of the hearts of his servants with grace and goodnesse God is not all in all now in the hearts of his servants he is but something as Chastitie in Ioseph Constancie in David fortitude in Sampson wisedome in Salomon But then God shall be all in all to them we are all like to a bottle that hath at narrow neck that is east into the Sea and cannot fill all at once but receive the water drop by drop but at the day of judgement God shall fill our hearts and soules with all grace and goodnesse Saint Ierome saith well Now God is by a few vertues in us but then he shall be all in all in filling our hearts with graces and vertues and Augustine saith out of this place what is that Paul saith that God shall be all in all whatâ—oever the heart of Man can wish or desire that God will be to a Christian therefore dost thou desire meate and drinke God will be meate and drinke to thee dost thou desire peace God will bee all in all to thee in whatsoever thy heart can wish for and this is the end why Christ shall render up the Kingdome unto his Father that God may be all in all SERMON LIII IOHN 14. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name hee shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you THe Creede as Tertullian termes it is the rule how to â—rder our Faith both concerning God and the Church of God And there are two rules to order our Faith by First that there are three Persons and but one God in substance and in essence and as there are three Persons and but one God So wee must labour to bee all one because we must seeke to resemble God as much as may be although we cannot be one in substance yet wee must be all one in affection and will So it is said Acts 4. 32. that the number of them that beleeved were all of one heart and of one minde and Christ prayes Iohn 17. 21. that as the Father and he is one so all his people may bee one And Rom. 15. 6. the Apostle prayes that they may with one minde and with one mouth praise God even the Father of our Lord Iesus as there is unitie in God so there must be unitie in us It was the Divell that first made division in the World hee divided Man from his God and Man from Man in the most deerest and neerest societie for the divided Adam from his wife and so it is the devill that makes division still in the world as Revel 6. 4. it is said of him There was power given him to take away peace c. So then all division proceedeth from the Divell God hee makes peace but it is the Divell that makes division and therefore it is our duty as God is one so we to labour to bee one though wee cannot in substance yet in affection and will The second Rule is that although they be one in Substance and Essence yet they be three distinct Persons the Father created Man by his power and he Sonne redeemed Man by his blood the Holy Ghost sanctified Man by his Spirit So all these three estates in Heâ—ven concurre and worke together for the good of Man And therefore it is a piteous thing that Man is found to be enemy to himselfe Hence then let every one consider how worthâ—ly doe Men perish and goe to Hell seeing all the Divine Persons worke for Mans good and hee alone is found enemy to himselfe Now we have spoken already of the first Person and also of the second at this present are come to speake of the third Person whereto foure things are to be considered 1. That the Holy Ghost is God 2. That he is a person having a Reall subsisting and that hee is distinct from the Father and the Sonne 3. That he is not onely holy in himselfe but hee is the Effecter and Causer of Holinesse in others 4. That as he makes others holy so he will make me holy and give mee such a measure of Sanctitie as shall bee fit for mee First That the holy Ghost is God it is a ground in Divinitie that hee that beleeves should beleeve in God and in no creature but wee are taught to beleeve in the holy Ghost therefore it is a surething that the holy Ghost is God But for the truth of this point because it is one of the grounds of our Christian faith I will prove it by Scripture and by reason First by Scripture Act. 5. 3. saith Peter to Anâ—nias Why hath Satan filled thy heart that thou shouldst lye unto the holy Ghost and in the very next verse Thou hast not lyed to man but unto God Againe 1 Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one what one are they but one God The Papist telleth us that the Divinitie of the holy Ghost cannot be proved by the Scripture but by tradition but this is erroneous and false and there are Schoole-men teach to the contrary as Thomas Aquinas who saith A man must speake nothing of God or beleeve nothing but what is found in Scripture either in expresse words or sense and therefore if it cannot be proved by the Scriptures that the holy Ghost is God we are not to beleeve it because wee are to beleeve nothing but that which is grounded upon the Scripture Another of them saith that he can bring a whole swarme of testimonies to demonstrate unto us the Divinity of the holy Ghost So then we see it may strongly be confirmed by Scripture that the holy Ghost is God and Cyrill saith that it is the holy Ghost that is the inditer of the Scripture and therefore he testifieth of himselfe and revealeth himselfe as much as is fit and needfull for us to know of him that which he hath written of himselfe we may be bold to speake of And Augustine saith that all the ancient Fathers have laboured to confirme this by Scripture that there is three distinct Persons and one God besides in the Remish Testament 1 Iohn 5. 7. we finde observed upon the note of One that there be three divine persons in the Trinitie and therefore this doth affirme the God-head of the holy Ghost but here seeing it is so plaine by Scripture and by the testimonies of the Fathers and by their owne Schoole-men as many as bee well advised that the holy Ghost is God wee need not doubt of the truth of
to all her Children by the meanes of Pastors and Teachers which the Apostle delivers unto us Ephes 4. 11. where he saith When hee ascended up on high bee led captivitie captive hee gave gifts unto Men c. He therefore gave some to bee Apostles some Evangelists some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the Body of Christ that henceforth we be not Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive For the first it doth keepe and preserve the Tables of Truth in three respects 1. It keepes the letters of the Scripture 2. The true Canon of the Scripture that is the true number of the Canonicall Bookes 3. The Authoritie of the Scriptures First It keepes the letters of the Scriptures for the Scripture is the chiefest rich Iewell and Treasure that Christ hath left his people therefore it hath beene the care of the Church the Spouse to preserve and keepe the Scripture as the chiefest Iewell and Treasure left of her husband Christ we see in experience if a man leave a Iewell or some other treasure with his wife when he goes into a farre countrie she will be carefull to keepe it till he come home againe shee will locke it up or lay it in some Boxe or Chest so because the Scripture is a rich Iewell left unto the Church by her Husband Christ therefore there can be no doubt but the Church was carefull at all times to preserve and keepe it to this purpose Exod. 25. 16. The Lord commanded Moses to make an Arke of Shittim wood to put the Tables of the Covenant in that is the written Law of God and why should they put it into an Arke or Chest of Cedar But because it is the durablest wood which will not rot to teach us that the Lord would have the Scriptures preserved therefore S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. That the Lord hath of trust committed the Oracles of Truth unto the Iewes which were the Church of God so that it is the dutie of the Church to preserve and keepe them None hath done it but the Church which hath not failed in any point If a tender mother should have a spring that she and her Children live by to drinke of how carefull would she be to kepe it from all annoyances so because the Scripture is as a Spring that the Church lives by and drinkes of she and her children Therefore there can be no question but that the Church hath beene carefull to keepe it from all annoyances It hath beene an opinion of the Papists that the Scripture was corrupted by the Iewes in the Originall Text but if this opinion were true it were enough to bring in Atheisme and all prophanenes for no body can deny but if that the letters of the Scripture were corrupted in the Originall then that which is translated cannot be right Here then to confute this opinion of the Papists which is enough to bring in flat Atheisme and superstition I will shew you divers arguments and reasons to proove that the Scripture hath not beene corrupted which because it is a point of learning and a high one therefore as God when he gave the Law to the People came downe upon the Mount as low as might bee to deliver it to them so I will come downe as low as I can to make it plaine to your Capacities who heare me The first Is drawne by comparison from a King There is no King that would suffer his Statute lawes to be corrupted in the fundimentall Points and his publike Records if hee could helpe it but God is our King and the Scripture is the Statute-Law of God and his publike Records whereby he makes his Will knowne to Men and governes them and therefore can we thinke that the Lord will suffer any to corrupt it seeing he hath Power in his hand to help it unlesse we thinke that God hath lesse care than an earthly king would have of his lawes Iosephus reports and also Eusebius of a certaine Poet that tooke upon him to apply a Holy sentence to a wrong end who was stricken with blindnesse till he made confession of his fault And of another that tooke a peece of Scripture to make a jest of it who was taken with a phreneticall madnesse and hardly ever recovered againe Now therefore if God doe punish those that do prophane the Scripture then how much more will he punish them that doe corrupt it seeing God hath set this seale to it This God makes good Revel 22. 18. For I testifie unto every man that heareth the words of the prophesie of this book If any Man shall adde to these things God shall adde to him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any Man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life therefore who durst meddle to corrupt it The second reason is drawen from the Promise of Christ in Matth. 5. 18. For verily I say unto you till Heaven and Earth perish one jot or one title of the Law shall not escape till all things be fulfilled now by the law he meanes the written Law of God here we have the promise of Christ that as long as Heaven and Earth indures there is not one jot or title of the Law that shall be corrupted The third is taken from the continuall practise of the Prophets Apostles and of Christ himselfe that still send the People of God to the Scriptures as the most sincere Iudges as Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimonies if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them so 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as unto a light that shineth in a darke place c. and Christ Iohn 5. 39. saith Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to have Eternall Life they are they which testifie of me So wee see that Christ the Prophets and Apostles call us to the Scriptures as to the sincerest Iudge Now if the scriptures had beene corrupted and depraved they would not have sent us to them for there is no man that will send his servant to sea but hee will tell him the danger of it and of the Shelves Rockes and Sands and where they be that so hee may avoyde them so if the Scriptures had beene corrupted Christ the Prophets and the Apostles would not have sent us to the Scriptures but would have told us where the Rockes and Shelves and where the dangers had beene nay if Christ had knowne the Scriptures had beene corrupted he would have made it knowne or if
evill that wee may be dismayed and behold it together So none but God can tell future things that are meerely contingent A man may foretell future things that depend on naturall causes but to foretell things that are meerely contingent none can doe but God But the Scriptures have foretold divers things which have come to passe in the times appointed and were meerely contingent therefore the scripture is from God As Gen. 49. 10. there Iaakob foretold of Christs comming in the flesh saith he The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Lawgiver from betweene his feete till Shiloh come this was very unlike that ever it should bee and yet the governement continued in the Tribe of Iuda till Herod came who killed the Sanâ—edrin in whose dayes Christ was borne so likewise David prophecied Psal 72. 8. that the Gospell should goe through the World and all Nations should yeeld obedience to it This hath beene performed and so of all the prophecies foretold they should come to passe in the time appointed We see the Iewes killed the Prophets and when they had laid them in the dust yet they reverenced the writings and kept them safe what was the reason of it they say that that which they spake was true and that came to passe therefore though they could not abide the Prophets but killed them yet they regarded their writings and reverenced them Fifthly by the sincerity of the Writers that therein have not concealed their owne faults If Men must write of themselves they will bee sure to write the best and not the worst But those holy Writers have not spared their owne faults Moses writes of his own faults when he strucke the Rocke and tels us that this was the cause why hee could not enter into the land of promise and David writes the 51. Psalme which is a Psalme of repentance bewailing that horrible sinne which he committed with Bathsheba and hath left it to all succeeding ages nay there be some of them that no man could have ever knowne their faults if themselves had not disclosed them as the Prophet Ezekiel in his third Chapter I went saith he but it was in the bitternesse and indignation of my spirit this shewes it came from God Naturally men labour to cover their owne faults to hide them and speake well of themselves to gaine credit but the Spirit of God takes away all from man and giveth it to God Therefore because these holy writers take away all from themselves and give the honour to God this doth shew it came from God It is a prettie consideration of a Heathen Man Hee brings a Man and a Lion reasoning which was the strongest whether the Lion or the Man the one said the Lion and the other the Man who brings the Lion to a picture where the Man was tearing and rending the Lion so saith he Man is the strongest Nay saith the Lion the reason hereof is because Man made the picture himselfe for said he if the Lion had made the picture then he would have made the Lion tearing the Man for every Man will be favourable to himselfe In like manner to apply this if Man had made the Scripture he would have set up his own glory but because they take away all their own glory and give it God it is an evidence that it is of God Sixthly By the wonderfull consent of those which were the writers of it both in regard of the matter and manner First for the matter that it was writ by so many severall Men and at sundry times and in divers Countries and Kingdomes and upon severall Occasions and yet that they all consented in one thing what doth this shew us but that they were all guided by one God in this wonderfull consent Therefore the Scriptures came from God Secondly in regard of the manner they agree for Amos being but a shepheard and taken from following the sheepe yet writes as Divinely Holily and Excellently as Esay that was of the Kings seede and brought up at the Court for hee writes against the sinnes that were then used at the Court especially against pride as we may see Amos 3. so likewise Iohn and Peter were poore fishermen and unlearned and yet they write as Divinely Heavenly and Excellently as Paul did that was brought up at the feete of Gamaliel Let any man shew mee any other reason why Amos that was but a shepheard did write as Holily and Divinely as Esay that was brought up at the kings Court and why Iohn and Peter which were but poore fishermen should write as Heavenly and excellently as Paul that was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and I will yeeld to him but I thinke there can bee no other reason than this that the same GOD that did assist the one did assist the other Seventhly by naturall reason for reason teacheth us that God must be worshipped then every Mans heart telleth him that he must not bee worshipped as we will but as he will for the servant must not prescribe the Master but the Master the servant but God hath not prescribed his worship in any place but in the Scriptures therefore this reason stands good That the Scripture is not the word of Man but the Word of God The Uses are First seeing the Scriptures are the word of God therefore there is nothing more certaine and sure in this world than the saith of a Christian all arts and sciences are grounded on truth that is the truth of the creature which wee call created truth but the faith of a Christian is grounded on an uncreated truth for there is no comparison betweene created and uncreated truth therefore there is nothing more certaine and sure in this world than the faith of a Christian as 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. saith the Apostle Paul neither stood my words and preaching in the inticing speeches of mans wisedome but in plaine evidence of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not bee in the wisedome of men but in the power of God so the faith of a Christian is most sure sense and reason may deceive but faith cannot because it is grounded on an uncreated truth therefore in holy reverence as one saith we may say Lord Lord if we be deceived in the hope of glory and in the hope of life everlasting thou hast deceived us if we have but the word of a man we will build rest and relye on it but we have a word and warrant from God and yet we doe not rest and relye on that through corruption of mans heart and his nature although the word of God is an uncreated truth and the other a created Secondly seeing the Scripture is the Word of God therefore it is the highest Iudge where all questions and controversies may bee decided the Prince and his letters are all one in law so God and his Word is all one therefore
because the Scripture is the Word of God it is the highest Iudge Aquinas saith whosoever bringeth a letter from one it is as if he brought the party so when we bring Gods Word for a thing it is as if wee should bring God because it is the voyce of God who is the highest Iudge of all therefore although a kingdome and a country should command us to doe such and such things if the Word of God condemne it we must not doe it Gen. 3. When the devill came to the Woman to tempt her to eate of the forbidden fruite saith shee God hath said wee shall not eate of it so a Christian should doe when hee meets with temptations and is tempted to sinnes he must say God hath said I must not lye deceive prophane the Sabboth be drunken I must not misspend my time because God hath forbidden it therefore I must not doe it Thirdly seeing the Scripture is the Word of God wee must take heed wee doe not neglect it because it comes from God and is the voyce of God that saith feare God love your brethren live in charity one with another walke holily and christianly repent of your sinnes therefore we must respect the voyce of God as it is 1 Thes 4. he therefore that despiseth these things despiseth not man but God therefore seeing God hath said Pray continually in all things give thankes wee must take heed wee doe not despise the Word of God Fourthly seeing the Scripture is the Word of God therefore this will direct us in the dangerous passages of this world as Psal 119. saith David thy Word is a lanthorne unto my feet and a light unto my path so Matth. 2. when the Wisemen went to seeke Christ there was a starre appeared unto them which they followed till it brought them to the house whereas Christ was such a starre is the Bible the holy Scripture if wee follow it it will not leave us till it bring us to Christ Saint Basil saith it is the manner of Marriners when they bee at Sea to direct themselves in their voyage safe home by casting their eyes up to Heaven in the day looking to the Sunne and in the night to some bright starre so must thou doe if thou wilt goe safe to heaven looke to the Word of God and hold to it that it may be a direction to thee let not thine eyes slumber nor sleepe but follow on till thou come to a joyfull beholding of God in Christ and all the holy Angels and people of God where we shall live for ever and ever We have already spoken of foure points wherein the dignitie of the Church consists first that it is called the City of God secondly that it is called the body of Christ thirdly that it is called the Spouse of Christ fourthly that it is called the ground and Pillar of truth Fifthly that it is like to Noahs Arke that there is no salvation without it for as in the old world all perished that were not gathered into Noahs Arke their wisedome Towers castles and goods could not save them so all that are not gathered into the Church they shall perish it is not their wisdome nor wealth that can save them for the Church is the Arke of God there is no salvation but in Sion that is in the Church of God therefore the holy Scripture saith in this place of those God had a purpose to save he added to the Church from day to day so Ephe. 5. 23. Saint Paul saith that Christ is the Saviour of his body now the Church is the body of Christ therefore there are none saved but the Church that is none but they which are joyned to Christ and become members of him as Iosh 2. 18 19. there wee see a covenant was made betweene Rahab and the Spies that she should hang a red threed or a cord out of the window at their comming so all that were within the house should be saved but if they were out of the house though they were her owne kindred yet they should perish their bloud should be upon their owne heads such a covenant God hath made with us that if we will get into the house where the red threed the cord hangs out of the bloud of Christ we shall bee saved but all that be without this house are like to perish their bloud shall be upon their owne heads Now there are foure reasons why there is no Salvation but in the true Church of God First because there onely the heavenly light shineth the Church is the Goshen of God where the heavenly light shineth when all the world over lye in Aeygptian darknesse as wee see in the Scriptures therefore because the heavenly light shineth in the Church there is no salvation without it so Esai 59. 10. it is said Wee grope for the wall like the blind as one without eyes who stumbles in the noone dayes as in the twilight wanting the light they dash here and there they grope for the wall and cannot finde it so all that be out of the Church of God want this same heavenly light to shine unto them they dash here and there grope for the wall lose themselves and shall never be able to finde the way to heaven therefore because the light of God shineth in the Church onely there is no salvation without it Secondly because wee can have no Communion with Christ unlesse wee have Communion with the members of Christ for as it is in the naturall so it is in the mysticall body of Christ in the naturall body wee cannot have Communion with the head unlesse we have Communion with the members for my hand cannot have Communion with my head unlesse it bee joyned to my arme so wee cannot have Communion with Christ unlesse wee have had Communion with his members which is the true Church of God therefore there is no salvation without it Thirdly because no where else wee can looke for a blessing but in the Communion of the faithfull and societie of the godly It is true indeed as David saith that the earth is full of the goodnesse of God but the speciall blessing of God resteth onely in the societie of the faithfull as Exod. 20. 24. saith God In all places where I shall put the remembrance of my name I will come to thee and blesse thee so Psal 113. 3. it is said of the Church For there the Lord appointed blessing and life for evermore Now the mountaines of Sion are figure of the true Church of God so the blessing of Sion is no where but in the Communion of the true Church as Iohn 5. wee see a number of Lame men sicke diseased lay at the poole side waiting when the Angell of God should come down and stir the waters because whosoever could get in after the waters were stir'd was healed what disease soever he had so because in
to thanke God that it is not so common amongst us as it hath been There is also another fault amongst us that a poore man many times stands excommunicated three or foure yeers together indeed there may bee a fault in the poore man to stand so long but let us take heed it bee not for want of our helpe Therefore as wee are ready to contribute to the necessities of their bodies so we should bee to contribute to them in this case But here may a Christian demand whether were a man best to give money or to stand excommunicated still this question I will answer by another question what if a man fall into the hands of Theeves were hee better to lose his money or his life I answer hee were better to lose his money because his life is the greater even so a man were better to lose his money than the meanes of grace which is the greater Another may here object and say I but how if a man cannot bee absolved without hee should sinne against God and offend his conscience To this I answer that if the case be so that he cannot be absolved but he must sinne against God then hee were better lose the Communion of men which is the lesser than the Communion of God which is the greater as Iohn 9. wee see the blind man whom the Pharisees had cast out Christ meets with and said unto him doest thou beleeve in the Sonne of God as if hee should say notwithstanding this censure thy cause is good thou art a blessed man in like maner although the censure of excommunication hath passed upon thee if thou beleevest in the Sonne of God thy case is good this may comfort Christians Lawyers have a saying that unjust Lawes binde no man and Bellarmine saith that there is a double Communion an externall and an internall Communion the externall Communion of the Church of God is in the word preached prayer and in Sacraments the internall is in the graces of the Spirit Faith love and other graces Now a man may bee cast out from the externall Communion the word and Sacraments as when a man is put into prison or banished and yet may have the internall Communion with the Church a man may be cut off from his brethren in regard of outward societie but hee can not bee cut off from Christ And these bee the uses wee are to make of this point Now that wee have spoken of the Nature of the Church in the next place we are to speake of the properties of it which are two 1. It is a Holy Church 2. It is a Catholike Church First The Church of God is Holy there is a company of Holy People here in this world as Zech. 8. 5. thus saith the Lord I will returne unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of Truth and the Mountaine of the Lord of Hosts and the Holy Mountaine so in Dâ—â—iel the Church is called the Holy People of God and Revel 22. 2. saith S. Ioh. And I saw the holy Citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God so also 1 Cor. 3. 17. Saint Paul saith For the Temple of the Lord is Holy which ye are Therefore seeing the Church of God is an assembly of Holy People accordingly as it is Holy wee the Members thereof must labour to be Holy Now the Holinesse of the Church is opposed unto three things that seemeth to take away Holinesse from it First the judgement of the world for it thinkes that of all societies they are the vilest and the worst they thinke them to be but a company of dissemblers and hypocrites that professe the Word but deny the Power of it but we that are Christians beleeve that the Church of God is Holy though the World thinke them a company of dissemblers David saith Psal. 13. Yet God is good to Israel even to the pure in heart and in the 14. of Deut. 2. we read For thou art an Holy People to the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a precious people to him Therefore howsoever the World condemnes them yet wee beleeve that God hath a Holy company of People in the World The second thing that seemeth to take away Holinesse from the Church is that it is a united company of good and bad together for I have shewed you that the Church of God is like to a Flocke wherein are Sheepe and Goates a Floore wherein is Corne and Chaffe a Field wherein are Tares and Wheate and yet these bad persons are no true Members of the Church but like bad humours in the body Againe the Faith of a Christian opposeth and doth beleeve that there is a company of Holy People and that the wicked that live amongst them doe not defile the Holy things of God for it is Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. 26. Let a Man therefore examine himselfe c. whereupon saith Augustine Marke thou that art a good Man thou mayest eat and drinke with comfort if thou doe examine thy selfe and againe he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not so to thee that art a good Man but to the wicked that came like swine without any preparation at all The third thing that seemes to take away holinesse from the Church is the remainders of sinne and corruption for there is no Man in the estate of Grace but hath complained of this So David Psal 40. 12. My sinnes hath taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up and Paul complayneth Rom. 7. The good thing that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I c. so in the best estate there is some remainders of sinne Therefore although the World and the Divell should condemne them yet we beleeve the Church of God is Holy SERMON LXVII 1 CORINTHIANS 3. 17. For the Temple of God is holy which yee are HAving spoken of the Nature of the Church we began to speake of the Properties of it the last day being two First we beleeve the Church of GOD is Holy Secondly that it is Catholike agreable to that part of our Christian profession Now the Church of God is holy foure manner of wayes First In regard of the Holinesse of their Faith or by the Holinesse of their Faith All other societies are fouly spotted and tainted with errour against the foundation but this remaines unspotted in the foundation therefore the Church is Holy because their Faith is Holy So Iude 20. But ye beloved edifying your selves in your most holy Faith keepe your selves in the Love of God So Matth. 7. 6. saith our Saviour Give not that which is holy to Dogges It cannot be denyed but that there may bee errours in the true Church for as they bee subject to all other sinnes so are they to the sinne of ignorance as
Levit. 4. 3. there was a sacrifice appointed for the Ignorance of the Priests and People and Habakuk 3. the Prophet intitles a prayer for the Ignorances Therefore the Church may bee ignorant of some things as the Church of Ierusalem was Acts 11. 10. The Church was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till they were informed by Peter and in Cyprians time there was rebaptising held in the true Church So in Augustines time it was held as a thing needfull to salvation for Children to receive the Lords Supper contrary to Saint Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. Let a Man examine himselfe therefore it is out of question their may be errors in the true Church But the difference is twofold First that they doe not erre in the foundation their errours doe not strike at the heart and let out the life-blood of religion but it is like the scratching of a Thorne and therefore it remaineth Holy in the foundation Secondly Though it fall into errour it is so assisted by the Power of grace as it doth not rest till it recover againe as mud being throwne into a fountaine rests not till it workes it out and settles againe so though the Church fall into errour it is so assisted by the power of grace as that it recovers againe as Iohn 16. 11. saith Christ When hee is come that is the Spirit He shall lead you into all Truth that is possesse them with all truth and lead them in all Truth Peter himselfe did not know all for he was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles till he saw the vision And then it was revealed unto him so though the Church of God be ignorant for some time it shall not so continue but the Holy Ghost will lead it into all truth Now with the holinesse of their Faith they must joyne holinesse of life as 2 Pet. 1. 5. saith he moreover joyne with your Faith vertue and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. with saith there must be joyned good life as of 1 Tim. 1. 19. saith S. Paul of some having faith and a good conscience which some have put away and as concerning faith hath made Shipwracke they were not wise enough to joyne to the holines of their faith holines of life but cast away a good coÌ„science made no conscience of known duties and so made shipwracke of all the pretious graces that they had imbarked In the 2 Thes 2. 10. it is said Because they received not the love of Truth that they might be saved therefore did God send them strong delusions that they should beleeve lies Therefore if men will not receive the love of the truth that they may be saved it is just with God to send them strong delusions to beleeve lyes therefore it must bee our care that with holinesse of our faith we joyne a Holy life Secondly the Church is holy by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse as 1 Cor. 1. 30. it is said Christ is made to us of God the Father wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption so Christ is not onely our justification but our sanctification for his holinesse is imputed to us In the Law as wee may see Rom. 11. 16. In the first fruits all the rest was sanctified though they â—â—re not brought into the Temple nor presented before God yet by thâ— first fruites the rest was made Holy by a certaine power to the eateâ— and users of them so because Christ is the first fruits that was offered to God in all the puritie that might bee therefore the Church of God is made holy by relation from him To this the Schoolemen agree for saith Aquinas every imperfect thing presupposeth some certaine thing that is perfect that it might be helpt all our holinesse is unperfect in our selves therefore it must bee made perfect by the holinesse of Christ In all accusations of the Divell and conflicts of our consciences wee should come to God and say Lord though I am a sinner uncleane and have infinite wants in my selfe yet in my Head Christ I am sanctified and made Holy so that whatsoever I want in my selfe it is made good in him We see chrystall though it have no light nor lustre in it selfe yet set it in the Sunne and it receiveth the Sunne beames so although we have no light nor manner of lustre in our selves yet if we be brought to Christ wee receive all the graces of Christ therefore in the Revelation the Church is said to bee apparelled with the righteousnesse of Christ Thirdly the Church is holy by inherent holinesse because there is never a true member of the Church but doth labour to be holy though they be incumbred with a number of sinnes Therefore Heb. 3. they are called holy brethren and Esay 65. 12. It is said of them and they shall call them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord for it is the care of every true member to be holy though they be troubled with many incumbrances weaknesses and sinnes Therefore whosoever thou art that art not holy at all for wee cannot obtaine to bee perfectly holy in the estate of corruption labour to bee holy in some measure use the meanes and have care to rid and remove thy sinnes for otherwise thou art no true member of the holy Church A man may live in the Church till his flesh rot or his eyes fall out of his head and yet be no true member of the Church no more than a wodden legge is a true part of a Mans body which though it moove and goe with the body yet may be laid in the fire when the body is in safety because it is not joyned to it to draw life and motion from it in like manner a man may live in the Church and bee no true member thereof because hee is not joyned to Christ nor can approve himselfe to his owne conscience or to the conscience of others therefore as it is the care of every true member to be holy so it must be the care of us that are in the Church Fourthly the Church is holy because there be the meanes of holinesse It is not so holy as Corah Dathan and Abiram said Numb 16. 3. to Moses and Aaron ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy Thus to have no neede of Magistracie and Ministerie were a dangerous errour for any to thinke for the Church hath neede of all the meanes of holinesse though there be some beginnings of it yet they have neede of Moses and Aaron of Magistracie and Ministery as Psal 77. 20. it is said that The Lord led the People of Israel like Sheepe by the hand of Moses and Aaron the Lord led them with great tendernesse and respect hee led them like sheepe but it was by the hand of Moses and Aaron as long as the Church is in her Pilgrimage it hath neâ—de of all meanes of holinesse to guide and
first propertie The second propertie is that the Church of God is Catholike that is it is generally diffused and spread all the world over This word Catholike is not found in all the Bible yet as long as the sense is there we may retaine and keepe it seeing it is not against any point of our Christian profession As for the signification of it the word is the same both in Latine and Greeke and signifieth generall whence wee inferre the Church of God seemeth to take his name from our Lord Iesus himselfe where hee saith Act. 1. 8. And yee shall bee witnesses unto mee both in Ierusalem and in all Iudea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth Here the observation may bee this that if wee finde new words as long as the sense is not new nor the Doctrine wee may receive them but if both the words and the sense and Doctrine bee new that is if it bee not found in the Scripture then they are to bee rejected and refused therefore because transubstantiation is a new word and the Doctrine is new the sense not being to be found in the Scripture we are to reject it for before the Lateran Councell there was no such thing heard of which brought in both the word and Doctrine and made that a point of faith which before was never dreamt of Now the Church is said to bee Catholike in three regards 1. In regard of Place 2. In regard of Person 3. In regard of Time First the Church of God is Catholike in regard of place for it is not tied to one certaine place countrie or Kingdome but God himselfe hath inlarged and spread it over all the world farre and neere there was a time when it did belong to the Iewes and to those that did joine with them but now Christ hath broken downe the partition wall and hath laid all the world common now hee hath enlarged the Church and spread it all the world over This is that Peter speakes of Of a truth saith hee I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in every nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him so Christ Matth. 8. saith That many shall come from the east and from the west and shall sit down with Abraham Isaak Iacob in the Kingdome of God so Eph. 2. 13 14. but now in Christ Iesus yee which were once a farre off are made members by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace which hath made both one and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us and it is said Revel 7. 9. And after these things I beheld and lâ—e a great multitude of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the lambe cloathed with long Robes and palmes in their hands So then it is plaine by the Scriptures that the Church is Catholike in regard of place and is not abridged to no one countrey or Kingdome but is spread all the world over Augustine saith well We are not to thinke it was enough for Christ to shed out his most precious bloud for one countrey or Kingdome but it was to win the whole world to himselfe and againe hee saith By that which Christ gave for the redemption of man they may perceive the great price and payment which was his death and bloudshed a thing of so great value or price that it was not for any one country or Kingdome but for all and therefore it is called the Catholike Church The use is first seeing that the Church is Catholike or universall and consists of all countries and Kingdomes therefore we should bee thankfull to God that hath reserved us till this time for wee might have beene born when the light of the Gospell shined onely amongst the Iewes and then wee might have perished in unbeleefe therefore thankes bee unto God in that hee hath brought us forth in a time when the Gospell is preached And seeing it hath pleased God to doe so let us bee wise to lay hold on the good meanes that is layd before us come out of our sinnes and corruptions that so wee may bee saved from them if fish in a pond should bee nigh poisoned with stinking mud and water and one should come and cut a sluce through into fresh water what would they doe but goe out into the fresh water This is our case wee are like to fish in a pond that bee poisoned in the mud and stinking water of our sinnes and corruptions therefore seeing it hath pleased God to cut a sluce and trench through and to open the bosome of the true Church to us where the fresh water is the waters of life and salvation it must bee our wisedome to come out of our sinnes and to lay hold of the good meanes that are set before us Secondly seeing the Church of God is Catholike wherein there is the meanes of grace therefore it must be our consideration to apply our selves to lay hold on it in our life time while wee live heere It is S. Pauls exhortation 2 Cor. 6. 5. I beseech you brethren that you receive not the graces of God in vaine It is a great mercie that God doth offer in the true Church where the meanes of grace are used preaching prayer the use of the Sacraments therefore let us apply our selves to lay hold on it and to get good by it You your selves know that if earthly Paradise were to bee recovered and the Cherubins with the shaking sword removed so that wee might goe in without any danger would you lye down and sleepe would you idle out the time no I dare bee bold to say that you would flye to the trees gather of the fruit and eate of them especially of the tree of life that you might live for ever This is the grace that God doth offer to us for the militant Church is the Paradise of God where there are trees of all sorts therefore what should wee doe not lye down in the dust and idle out the time but apply our selves to eate of the fruit especially of the tree of life to feed on Christ by faith to draw out all his graces that so wee may live for ever Secondly the Church of God is Catholike in regard of the persons for it includeth all sorts of persons rich and poore high and low noble and ignoble wise and foolish bond and free and excludeth none To this purpose saith S. Paul Gal. 3. 28. There is neither Iew nor Grecian there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus and S. Peter Act. 10. saith I saw a vision of all sorts of birds and beasts and there came a voice too that bad him kill eate by which vision he did understand that God had then sanctified all sorts of men in the bloud of Christ there was
will prove that they cannot be true Catholikes First because alwayes the true Catholikes have taught that divine worship is to be given to God onely and to no creature else as Christ saith Matth. 4. to the devill thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve so likewise Revel 22. Iohn fell downe to worship the Angell but the Angell said unto him See that in no wise thou dost it for I am thy fellow servant and Saint Ierome saith that we Christians doe not worship any creature neither Angell nor Archangell but God onely now because they teach that we should worship stockes and stones and the workes of mens hands therefore they are no true Catholikes Secondly because true Catholikes teach that there is but one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ only according to the Apostle For there is but one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus so Heb. 13. 15. saith he Let us therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwayes to God so Origen also we Christians offer up all our prayers to God by the meanes of Christ but the Papists teach that there are a number of Mediators and that we may pray to the Virgin Mary to Peter and Paul therefore they are no true Catholikes Thirdly because the true Catholike Church hath taught for sixteene hundred yeeres together that men should not equivocate should not speake one thing and thinke another but should speake the truth from their hearts as Ephe. 4. 25. saith the Apostle Wherefore cast off lying and speake the Truth every man to his neighbour so Psalm 15. Hee that speaketh he truth in his heart is one of them that shall inhabite Gods holy hill therefore we cannot say one thing and meane another for the oath is according to him that taketh the oath and not according to the minde of him that sweareth but the Papists teach that a man may equivocate sweare one thing and meane another and therefore they are not true Catholikes Now the use of this is seeing in this world is the true Catholike Church and the meanes of Grace let it be our wisedome to lay hold on the good meanes that is set before us before wee remove hence I have shewed you heretofore if a man should send his servant into the Indies with a ship to fill with gold and there might have it but fils it with rubbish stones and gravell when this servant comes home hee may looke for a cold welcome home so the Lord hath sent us into this world as it were into the Indies with a ship with our soules and bodies and into the Church of God there we may have gold to fill our shippes with that is the graces of his Spirit therefore if wee shall fill our shippes with rubbish gravell or dirt that is with sinnes and corruptions we may looke for a cold welcome home for in the Church of God there are the springs and fountaines of grace therefore why doe wee not apply our selves to fill shippes with the purest gold to get faith repentance prayer and all the graces of the Spirit that so we may have comfort at our returne to God SERMON LXVIII 1 IOHN 1. 3. That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ HAving spoken of the Church in the next place wee are to speake of the speciall benefits and blessings that God doth bestow on it for the Church is Gods peculiar and chosen people that hee hath drawne out of this world therefore it pleaseth him to bestow greater blessings and more speciall favours on them than on all other societies and assemblies whatsoever It is true indeed that there be common blessings that hee bestowes upon others as it is said Psal 119. 69. that the earth is full of thy goodnesse O Lord and so Matth. 5. 45. For hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust these common blessings all the people of the world partake of O but there are a peculiar blessings and favours that belong to none but to Gods servants wherein none of the wicked have their parts and therefore as David saith Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee c. the prophet doth not say positively much goodnesse is laid up for them that feare God but makes a question and saith how much goodnesse and so Psalm 147. ult hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements so there bee speciall favours and blessings that none of the world have part in for howsoever the wicked of the world may have common blessings as riches favour amongst men wisedome and learning and bee enabled to mainetaine Arts and Sciences yet notwithstanding there are speciall blessings that none of the wicked have their parts in that doe belong to his children onely to enjoy by the meanes of Faith so Genes 17. 18 22. Abraham prayeth to God that Ismael might live in his sight the Lord told him that he had heard him concerning Ismael and that he would make a great nation of him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac even so now God blesseth the wicked in this world hee maketh great men of them and rich gives them wisedome children and such like but his covenant he doth establish with Isaac his speciall blessings and favours hee bestowes on none but his owne children to be enjoyed by Faith Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth so and it is not unprofitable for a man to consider of them First because the godly may see what a goodly and rich portion the Lord hath appointed for them that so if any wayes either through the falsehood of the devill or other provocations they bee pulled out from the enjoying thereof they may labour to recover it againe knowing no where to have better entertainement than in the house of their father this it was that brought home the Prodigall sonne to his fathers house when he considered the happy estate of those that lived therein that they had bread and bread enough and not onely the sonnes but the servants and such as were hired but for a day even the meanest of them so when Christians shall consider the rich and happy estate of all the people of God what a deale of comfort and joy they have in the house of God that they are comfortable in their life and blessed at their death when they sleepe in the dust and when they shall be raised up to glory that is no small allurement for them to returne againe unto the house of God so we see Hos 2. 7. it is there
hee comes for whilest the market lasts for if the market bee once over the opportunitie for that time is lost so the time of life is the market of the soule whilest this lasteth a man may have any sanctified Grace hee may faith Repentance favour with God and pardon for his sinnes but if hee tarrie till the market bee done and this life ended hee cannot have faith Repentance nor any sanctified grace nor one drop of Gods favour though hee would give a world for it Therefore let us bee exhorted to lay hold on the good time that God giveth us Now for the further inlargement of this wee are to consider two things 1. What wee are to beleeve in generall 2. What wee are to beleeve in particular In the generall we are to beleeve that if we can repent there is forgivenesse of sinnes and in particular I doe beleeve that my sinnes are pardoned and forgiven mee for what shall I bee the better to beleeve there is pardon of sinnes unlesse I can beleeve that my sinnes are pardoned now in generall there bee six particulars to bee beleeved 1. That all men bee sinners both in the estate of Nature and in the estate of grace 2. That there is no way to finde release but by the forgivenesse of them 3. That there is forgivenesse of sinnes if men will seeke it 4. There is forgivenesse of sinnes without limitation of Number bee they never so many or Quality bee they never so great 5. That God onely forgiveth sinnes 6. That God doth not absolutely forgive but it is upon condition if men repent them of their sinnes First Wee beleeve that all men bee sinners both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace for in our Christian faith wee beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes now there can be no forgivensse where there is no sinne and Christ teacheth us to pray daily for the forgivenesse of our sinnes to shew that the pardon of them is as needfull as our daily bread even in our best estate Iob. 9. 3. it is said If hee will contend with him hee cannot answer him one of a thousand and Psal 143. 13. David saith enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight no flesh is justified so Salomon shewes 1 King 8. 4. That there is no man that sinneth not and Iames 3. 2. it is said In many things wee sinne all so also 1 Iohn 1. ult If wee say wee have no sinne wee deceive our selves and there is no truth in us Hence then it is plaine by the Scriptures that all men are sinners both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace And it is plaine by Reason also for look where the punishments of sinne bee there is sinne for by order of divine Iustice where there is sinne there is the punishment of it Now all men have in some measure tasted of the punishments of sinne some in one kinde some in another therefore there is sinne in all men Wee see in experience that if the Bayliffes be busie about a man and they arrest him and strain him in his goods they will say surely this man is in debt hee is but in a poore estate so when the Lords Bayliffes bee left about a man that is when the judgements and punishments of God distraine us in our goods and arrest us wee may say surely wee are in the Lords debt our estate is but meane and poore The use is seeing all men bee sinners both in the estate of Nature and grace therefore every man must labour for the forgivenesse of his sinnes Wee see that David when he came to the sight of his sinnes by the Prophet Nathan he was not at rest till hee had repented of them so when we are brought to the sight of our sinnes by any occasion we should not be at rest till we have repented of them If a man hath committed such an offence against the king that he is in danger of death hee cannot bee at rest till he hath gotten a pardon from the king sealed which when hee hath hee layeth it up in his chest and looketh on it many times to his comfort so when wee have sinned against God and are in danger of death let us not be at rest till wee have got a pardon from God sealed with the blood of Christ which a man must lay up in his heart and look on it at all times for his comfort Secondly there is no way to finde release of our sinnes but by forgivenesse therefore when we have sinned against God there is nothing that can release us neither Angell nor Archangell but it must be by forgivenesse our case is like the servants Matth. 18. 24. that ought a thousand talents a great deale and had nothing to pay it withall so wee have a great deale to pay unto the Lord and have not one halfepenny to pay him with we have nothing and therefore we are never able to satisfie for it neither is there any other way to release us but by forgivenesse The Church of Rome saith that a man may satisfie God for many of his owne sinnes and that according to justice and needeth not at all forgivenesse But this is contrary to the doctrine of their owne schoolemen and Reason is against it First every man that doth satisfie for any thing must doe as much good to the partie as be hath wronged him by his offence as Aquinas saith that satisfaction implyes a certaine equalitie But when we sinne against God wee offend an infinite thing therefore there must be infinite satisfaction for it but al the actions of men bee finite and therefore no man can satisfie God for any sinne Secondly no man can discharge one debt by paying another debt But all we doe is due debt to the Lord for as Christ saith When yee have done all that ye can say that We are unprofitable servants therefore because all that we doe is due debt unto the Lord therefore we cannot satisfie for any sinne Thirdly sinne hindreth the vertue of satisfaction for if a man be a sinner he can doe nothing that is pleasing and acceptable to God and if a man cannot please God he cannot satisfie for any sinne but there is no action we doe but we sinne in it therefore we cannot satisfie God for our sinnes This is cleare by the Scriptures and therefore their doctrine of the Church of Rome is not to be beleeved For we must acknowledge when wee have sinned that there is no way to satisfie God but by free pardon and forgivenesse But how is it free pardon and forgivenesse I answer It is free in regard of us It is due in regard of Christ for it cost him three and thirty yeeres travell in this world it cost him his life and his blood many streames of pure blood issued from him to obtaine a
the Name Iesus is implied Christ to be our Savior No other Iesus but he He is our Iesus and will save us 72. Sinnes of ignorance lesse than sinnes of knowledge 228. * Commission of sinne after illumination dangerous 193. ¶ Impenitence worse than wormewood or â—all to Christ 250. * Importunitie prevailes with wicked men to any thing that is bad 210. * Impossibilities in nature are possibilities in the power of God 109. ¶ Our Heavenly Inheritance comes from God our Father 57. Our title to Heaven is by inheritance 452. Foure testimonies of Christs Innocencie 195. We ought to beware of wronging the Innocent 206. ¶ Iosephs grave in his garden why 279. How Christ makes intercession for us 457. It is finished Christs song of gratulation 250. ¶ Of Iudas's betraying Christ 181. Christ onely the Iudge at last day 394. ¶ Comforts from Christ being our Iudge 394. ¶ Two things required in a Iudge sufficient Knowledge to know all things Power to punish all offendors 391. Of Christs comming to Iudgement 385. The glory of Christs comming to Iudgement consists in His traine Brightnesse of his Body Eminencie of his soveraigne Power 422 There shall be a Iudgement day 386. The day of Iudgement not far off 400. ¶ The Earth the generall place where the last Iudgement shall be 395. * The Time Certaintie Signes of the last Iudgement 399. c. Two signes yet to come of the last Iudgement 403. Reasons of the delay of the day of Iudgement are Gods 1. Patience in waiting for mans redemption 2. Goodnesse to his creatures 3. Care of the Elect. 404. The persons that shall be Iudged 405. The manner of the last Iudgement 409. The sentence of the last Iudgement 443. The last Iudgement shall bee according to good workes 458. ¶ Difference in Iudgement may happen to the Saints but not in affection as in Physitians about a sicke Patient 585. ¶ Gods Children must bee affected with his Iudgements 168. ¶ All that desire to see Christ and to depart in peace must be Iust men 139. †Iustice and Religion must goe together 139. ¶ K NO doores or iron gates can keepe out Christ 339. * Christ hath two keyes 1. To lock the wicked into hel 2. To open heaveÌ„ to the godly 423 Christ a King to Gather Governe Doe good to Defend his Church and People 86. c. The Kingdome of Heaven prepared onely for the Elect. 451. Three properties of the Kingdome of Heaven 448. Gods attributes set aworke to furnish the Kingdome of Heaven 448. ¶ Foure excellencies of the Kingdome of Heaven 449. Gods goodnesse to his people to bring them out of the divels kingdome into Christs 87. †Christs Kingdome not of this world 115. †198. †Some kisse religion at Church as Iudas did Christ and betray it at home 184. †That we shall know one another at the Resurrection 630. Two defects in knowledge or illumination 496. Christ must bee made knowne abroad noâ— conceald in private 127. †Wee must make conscience of knowne truthes 284. * L NO labour too great to come to Christ 129. ¶ If we continue in sinne unrepentant Christ hath lost his labour 151. ¶ A Christian a shining lampe 589. * The Canon Law makes it unlawfull to sell Spirituall things What belongs to another 182. ¶ God sometimes leaves us to see how we love him 332. A man loses the Spirit as leaves fall off a tree 521. †An evill member of the Church compared to a wodden legge 537. * Why Christs legges were broken 266. No lets should binder Christians from comming to Christ 126. †Christs Letter to his Father 74. How a man may be busied for provision for this life 648. †Mans life compared to Weavers warpe 45. ¶ Life twofold of Nature Grace 171. * The time of this life the time of mercie and grace 444. This life compared to a drawbridge ibid. Of life everlasting 648. God promiseth to his People life Naturall in this world Spirituall in the world to come 649. ¶ Two degrees of spirituall life of Grace Glorie 650. †The continuance of life everlasting 669. Life everlasting no blessing but torment to the wicked 648. ¶ Christ by his life aswell as death wrought out our salvation 254. †As the Soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule 649. Sinners deserve not to have the light of the Sunne or Moone to shine on them 167. ¶ Christ Lord of the world in regard of Soveraigntie Service 95. Christ as Lord will dispose all to the good of his Church 96. †Christ our Lord by right of Creation Redemption Donation Voluntarie service 97. The abatements of the graces of the Spirit in a man whereby hee thinkes them lost 518. †Love beares with a number of faults as a mother with her childe 595. The marvellous love of Christ to die and suffer for us 151. * True love to Christ Endures no holding backe Followes Christ in bonds 190. True love to Christ stoopes to the meanest service for his members 276. †Christ loves his enemies much more his friends 226. ¶ Every man like the Iewes preferre their lusts before Christ 203. M IF Christ restored an Eare to Malchus his enemy much more will he be mercifull to his friends 638. ¶ God had rather abate of his Service thaâ— Man wâ—nt his comfort 459. Gods fitting a Man to his Kingdome compared to a Carpenters hewing of timber 500. ¶ The meanenesse of Mans beginning 67. God made Man last of all creatures to Honour him Teach him Further him in the best things 70. †Christ was made Man in regard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. The Manhood of Christ darkned by the Godhead as a candle by the Sunne 477. * The manner of the manifestation of Christs birth 123. Three reasons why Christ was manifested first to the poorer sort 120. ¶ The Virgin Mary more blessed for bearing Christ in her heart than in her wombe 112. †Notes of Mary Magdalens love to Christ are her seeking him Continually when others gave over With teares for losse of him With diligence With complaint for not finding him With publishing her sorrow With proffer of any paines to enjoy him 306. c. Why Mary could not see Christ 310. Why Christ appeares first to Mary 313. ¶ Constant using the meanes a sure way to finde Christ 307. The meanes are to the Spirit as would to the nourishing of a tree 520. †The conscionable use of the meanes gives us comfortable hope of a blessing 538. * The office of a Mediator ceases when Christ renders up his Kingdome 476. †The Mediatorship compared to silke before sore eyes 476. ¶ All men are sinners 610. See Sinne and Sinners Mercie in the midst of wrath 58. Three reasons that no man can merit for another 596. Man can merit nothing 252. ¶ Watchfulnesse requisite to the members of the Church militant 531. ¶ GOD the Author of all Ministery 342. ¶ Christs