THREE EXCELLENT POINTS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE I. The Nativity of our Lord IESVS CHRIST II. His bitter sufferings for the sinnes of his people III. The fruites flowing therefrom to those that by Faith apprehend him ALL PROPHECIED BY ZACHARIAH in the 8. 9. and 10. Verses of the third Chapter of his Prophecie and explained in three Sermons preached at Edinburgh by Master PETER HEWAT being Minister there IOHN 5. 29. Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me 1 PET. 1. 10. 11. 10 Of which saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched diligently who prophecied of the grace that should come vnto you 11 Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was to come did signifie When it testified before hand the suffering of Christ and the glory that should follow EDINBVRGH Printed by ANDRO HART Anno 1621. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE DAVID AIKINHEID LORD Provest And to the right Worshipfull Robert Dowgall Iohn Maknaght William Dick and Henry Morison Baillies Iohn Byres Deane of Gild Peter Somervell Thesaurer and to the remnant of the Councill representing the body of the good Town of EDINBVRGH COmfortable and powerfull is that confirmation to our faith in the Messias which is drawne from ancient Scripture when wee see that all which was fore shadowed in the Law and fore-spoken by the Prophets hath the due and full accomplishment in our Lord Iesus Christ. Who being God manifested in the flesh was in the fulnes of time for the sinnes of his people crucified at Ierusalem And thereafter declared to be the Sonne of God with power according to the Spirit of holines by the resurrection from the dead To this end it is that the Lord Iesus himselfe biddeth vs search the Scriptures for they testifie of him He meaneth there of ancient Scripture wherof there is no part which beareth not cleare and evident testimony of him To Adam hee was promised Noah made petition for his sonne Iaphet that he might be perswaded to come to the tents of Sem that is to the Church and family of the Messias Abraham saw his day and reioyced in it Isaac was a speciall type of him who as he was the sonne of laughter and gladnes so Iesus Christ was the ioy of the sonnes of men And as he bare on his shoulders the timber wherewith he should haue bene burnt in a sacrifice So Iesus Christ bare on his back the Crosse whereupon he was crucified Iacob spake notably of him and from his seed the Scepter did not depart till he came in the flesh Moses prayed to send him who was to be sent Iehoshua hath but the name of a Saviour in type who fighting the Lords battels and leading the people through Iordan to the promised Land resembleth our strong and mighty Chiftan that Lyon of the tribe of Iuda who subdueth his enemies leadeth captivity captiue and carrieth his people through the raging and swelling Iordan of the troubles of this life to that promised rest All the refreshment which the people had vnder Iudges fighting for them and rescuing them from their oppressours was but a shadow and a glasse to looke vnto that rest which is to be found vnder the Messias who putteth his people in such safetie that the red Dragon with his power cannot come neere to pursue The holy line is kept and closeth the booke of Ruth with Dauid the sonne of Iesse for no other purpose but to point at the Messias the Son of Dauid according to the flesh Samuel by the direction of God anointed Dauid to be King who was the type of Iesus Christ in his actions and sufferingt But the seruant of Iesus Christ as he is the Messias And therefore he acknowledgeth him to be his Lord. He is called the sweet singer of Israel And they who will looke earnestly to his Psalmes shall find how secretly he tuneth his harpe and how heauenly and melodious his song is when he singeth of the Messias to come his kingdome his subiests and the great benefit which his people inioy vnder him The Queen of Seba came to visit Salomon the son of Dauid to see the ordor of his house and found her sight aboue the report But behold Iesus Christ greater then Salomon Ezra writing the history of seuen of Daniel his weekes which make fourty nine yeares is leading the people to look to the end when shall come the holy One who shall make an end of sin and finish transgression to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring an euerlasting righteonsnes Nehemiah goeth on in the same course writing the history of seuenty yeares In the eighteen yeares history of Esther is it not remarkable to this pùrpose that while as the sword was aboue the heads of the people of God ready drawne as it were to cut off their memory Esther is raised vp as a comfortable instrument of their deliuery So when the sword of Gods vengeance was drawne to cut off the whole race of Adam with an euerlasting destruction in commeth Iesus Christ not looked for of Angels nor expected of man who setteth his people at freedome and deliuereth them who were subiect to that feare Iob was afflicted many wayes in his goods in his children in his wife in his body in his conscience yet is his head holden vp and he kept from despair by the faith which he hath in the Messias still hoping with the eyes of his soule body both to see his Redeemer When the Prophets come in is not this the summe of all their Prophecy He that readeth Esay may read in him all the points of the Evangell of Iesus Christ. Euery one of the succeeding Prophets holding fast the same point And the nerer they draw to the time of the rising of that bright Star the more clearly they spoke of him So that the last of the Prophets being Malachie his last breath is of Iohn the Baptist the forerunner of Iesus Christ. And so Christ himselfe telleth you that all the Prophets and the Law prophecied vnto Iohn and that by Elias of whom Malachie spoke is vnderstood Iohn When the Lord Iesus came himself all his actions and especially his sufferings were the accomplishment of Scripture which was written of old Vpon the mountaine of his transfiguration there is seen talking with him Moses and Elias to testifie the sweet concent and harmony betwixt him the Law and the Prophets And the subiect of their conference saith Luke was of his death which he should accomplish at Ierusalem After his resurrection in that powerfull Sermon of his which made the hearts of the hearers to burne within them Did he not begin at Moses and the Prophets and expound vnto them in all the Scriptures these things that were written concerning him it would take a long time and fill many pages to goe through all These few words to them that are wise in the
And of whose House it may be well said There is in it bread enough large mercies and comforts to the hungrie and wearied soule that comes to seeke them Drinke is good for a thirstie body but wilt thou not remember of thy soule and heare him who hath said I haue drinke to giue whereof whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer thirst againe If we haue no appetite but naturall of things concerning the body what difference betwixt vs and the beast But a spirituall and renewed man is he not knowen in his spirituall appetite and desires such as was that man according to Gods owne Heart expressing his spirituall appetite this way As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soule for thee O God Garments are steedable to the naked But remembring thy soule heare him who calleth you to come and buy of him garments to couer your filthy nakednes that yee bee not a spectakle of shame in the sight of God Man and Angell With which garments whosoeuer shal not be found cled in that Day shall cry but in vaine to hils and mountaines to fall vpon them cover them from the face of the Lamb. Gold is profitable hauing for this life the owne necessary vses But harken to him who hath to giue thee fine gold tryed by the fire euen that better and induring substance which cannot be taken from thee again So as the Lord led his people of old from things temporall to things spirituall and from types to trueth so let him take vs by the hand by him let vs be led from these earthly things to spirituall things And frō the things of this life to the consideration earnest desire of the better things of that life to come There is another word also to bee marked heere There fell out many changes which were grievous to this people their owne sins bred them great disquiet As change in their policie desolation in their cities great change in the face of their Church vpon their Priesthood And when their Temple and Priesthood was restored againe it was a griefe to such as remembred the dayes of old to see the last no wayes answerable to the glory beauty of the first This doctrine therfore proponed by the Prophet is to comfort them against all such griefs to settle establish their hearts against all changes whatsoeuer and it is this cast the eyes of your faith toward IESVS CHRIST the great High Priest to come and there your soules shall finde rest IESVS CHRIST who was represented in the figure of the Law is exhibit in the fulnes of time As he came in the world for this end to saue sin ners so is he the only stay of the Hearts of sinners and in him is perfite remedie against all those griefes and tentations that rise here in this world by reason of sin to oppresse the hearts of sinners Heere all things are subiect to change and alteration he that is knit to him stayes vpon a rocke with a defiance of all these worldly changes althogh the world should be turned vpside down the moūtains rolled in the mids of the great deep yet can he not be moued In no thing that is here can there be found cōtentment in him the soul hath ful delight And when a man is as it were chased hūted with griefs on all hands with his many sins with the devils tentations somtimes with the ingratitude malicious doing of men It is euen vpon such a wearyed and distressed body that Christ calleth saying Come to me and I will ease you and refresh you we would therefore hearken to the sweet call of IESVS CHRIST and labour to follow the Saints and seruants of God seeking onely and finding this way contentment to our soules Heere God by his Prophet willeth his people to looke ouer all that blacke cloud of ceremonies to IESVS CHRIST I desire saith Paul to know nothing but IESVS CHRIST and him crucified he is to me both in life and death an advantage Whom haue I saith Dauid in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and portion for euer Where shall we go to saith Peter hast not thou the words of eternall life What further can I wish sayth old Simeon hauing gotten Christ in the armes of my body and soul both and s◅ene my saluation in him Now let thy servant go in peace Therefore as this is noted to be the great sollicitude and care of the Church to inquire for him Tell mee O thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest So if thou will proue thy selfe a true member of this Church and be partaker of this onely consolation inquire for him seeke him out while he may be found be homely with him seeke to be daylie farther conioyned with him in him shall ye finde perfite ease and contentment In these three Verses commeth to be considered first the preface that is vsed next the speech which is deliuered containing so many excellent points concerning the Messias both in his person and office In the Preface Iehoshua and his fellowes they are bidden hearken and advert vnto that which is to bee spoken Iehoshua was immediatly of before wakened to attention when the Lord hauing absolued him giues his direction to him speaking vnto him with vehement and earnest protestation Now hee is wakened to attention againe and bidden giue eare to the graue speech following concerning the Messias Although this with the former be but one continued Sermon he that heard of before hath need to heare still he that was wakened of before hath neede to be wakened againe And these graue and great mysteries vttered by the mouth of God himselfe they craue vpon our part great attention When God speakes our eares should be ready to heare In the volume of thy Booke saith Dauid it is written of me This volume of the Booke of God is the Law of God The first words whereof is Hearken Israel The seale of all the letters written to the seuen Churches is Let him that hath an eare heare what the spirit sayth to the Churches No man hath his care so ready to hearken but he hath neede continually to be put vpon to waken him vnto attention And the meanes of this doing are many vpon the Lords part his word a principall his word sometimes in the mouthes of old men sometimes in the mouthes of yong men to waken thy hearing Sometimes it comes with a mourning sound sometimes with a ioyfull sound to waken thy hearing Sometimes it comes in a mysterie as a sealed letter and sometimes the mysterie is revealed and the booke opened to waken thy hearing Sometimes he that cryes in thy eare takes a rod in his hand of some inward or outward affliction wherewith he choppes
yet heere is the supply of all Art thou set vpon the right Stone vpon Iesus Christ hee shall make thee ouercome it may be with fighting combat euen to the going downe of the Sunne to the end of thy life yet in the end thou shalt prevaile And as the going downe of the Sun is Ioyfull to the man that hath beene wearied in the fields with labour all day long for then he goeth to his rest So shall the Lord make the latter end of his owne ioyfull after their wearisome combat in this life they shall then rest from their labors and be in glory for euer A third stone or rock we read of Num. 20. chap. In the day whē the people wanted waters were ready to perish for thirst Moyses striking that rock with his rod forthwith there came abundāce of water wherof the people drank and were satisfied we cannot erre in the signification of this stone for the Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 10 cha giues vs the same in expres words affirming that this stone or rock is Iesus Christ. And hereby are we informed of these things 1. that al mankind should haue perished for euer And for them not a drop of refreshment could haue beene found if the Lord himselfe had not demonstrate and pointed out this Rock euen IESVS CHRIST his Sonne Secondly from him flowes rivers of spiritual waters euen abundance of consolations to refresh the weary heart Thirdly as Moyses got no water from the Rock till he touched it with his Rod So must thou stretch out the Rod of thy Faith and therewith touch CHRIST or els thou canst draw no vertue from him althogh he be a Rocke for abundance of spirituall waters in him yet he is not so called as though he were hard intractable and that it were hard to get any good from him No he is meek and gentle easie to be entreated Thogh he be a Rock yet the smallest touch of Faith will draw healing vertue from him Althogh the Rod of thy Faith be weake and smal like a bruised reed yet he will not breake the bruised reed nor extinguish the smoaking flax Stretch out thy withered hand and touch him with thy weake faith thou shalt draw waters of refreshment and comfort from him Fourthly we reade in the 4 Chapter of Iehoshua of a heape of stones which Ioshua set vp in a testimony that Israell had past with dry foot thorow Iordane These stones are also a representation of IESVS CHRIST tovs who is set vp as a great signe of God to vs by whom we haue passage to eternall life by him we shall escape all dangers by him shall we goe with dry foote without feare through the valley of death and shal be brought to that Land of rest euen that promised Land Feare not saith he little flocke It is my Fathers will to giue you the Kingdome Fiftly we reade in the first booke of Samuel and 17 Chapter of a stone wherewith David killed Goliah This stone also hath a representatiō of IESVS CHRIST who hath overthrowen the Devill led captivity captiue bound that strong one And it is hee in whose strength we are able to prevaile Sixtly in the second Chapter of Daniel we reade of a stone was hewed out of the mountaine without hands wherein there is proper resemblance of his nativity and manner of bringing foorth in the World being brought from the Wombe of the Virgine without the company of man by the worke of the Holy Ghost It is not my purpose to digresse Let it therefore be sufficient that all these places haue beene mentioned to make out this first reason wherefore IESVS CHRIST is called a Stone Euen because in him is truely fulfilled all which by a stone or stones in the old Testament was prefigured The second reason why IESVS CHRIST is called a Stone is Because he is that Rocke vpon which his Church is founded and builded This the Apostle telleth vs in the first to the Corinthians and 3 Chapter Another foundation can no man lay then that which is already laide that is IESVS CHRIST Let the Papists abuse as they please it is of himself he meanes when speaking to Peter he saith Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock that is vpon me that am the Rocke will I build my Church vpon which shee being builded the gates of Hel shall not prevaile against her The words of the confession of Peter referres vs to CHRIST himself Thou art saith he the Son of the liuing God Vpon him the Sonne of the liuing God who is God made man in time is founded and builded the Church It is of him that these words of Dauid are to be vnderstood in the 118 Psal. The stone which the builders refused is made the head of the corner He is in his birth Daniel his Stone hewen out of the mountaine without hands In his passion he is this grauen Stone of Zacharie all full of eyes In his résurrectiō he is Esay his Stone a Stone laid in Sion that whosoeuer beleeues in him shal not be confounded He is to vs the rock of our faith that fundament wherevpon the true Church and euery member thereof is built This reason would be well considered whereby 1. ye may perceiue that this hath beene of before the craft and malice of the Deuill to make them who by profession were the builders of the House of GOD misknow the foundation and neglect the principall Stone of the building Was not Caiphas and his Priests the professed builders for the time and what did they they reiected with despight and cast away Iesus Christ so that Barrabbas was of more accompt in their eyes then he But in his resurrection hee was lifted vp and declared to bee the chiefe Stone of the building This same craft and malice of the deuill doth still rage in the world Is it not to be seene in the Antichristian Church making them to reiect and cast aside the chief Stone foundation of the building euen Iesus and to build vpon the foolish inventions and traditions of men a building althogh it appeare to rise high yet shall it be Babell it shall come to confusion Let it be farre from vs to thinke that flesh and blood can bee sufficient for the Church to build vpon There is no foundation but this pointed by the Finger of God Behold the Stone that I haue laide the same is Iesus Christ the Lord. Secondly as the Church in generall is a building set vpon this Stone foundation so euery member of the Church is a builder And he would take heed how he buildeth The instrument of thy building is Faith he cannot build that wanteth Faith hauing Faith build vpon the right ground let thy Faith take hold of Iesus Christ. The more thou growest in Faith the faster thou art built vpon