of the body therefore all our care must be for the salvation of our soules whatsoever becommeth of our bodies our care must bee for our soules yet wee see what a-doe there is about the body all our care is for to cloath and feed it and yet that shall come to the dust for a while and the soule shall live for ever in glorie or in paine therefore our chiefest care must bee for that Wee see the theefe on the crosse makes his Request to Christ that hee would remember him when hee comes in his Kingdome all his care was for the saving of his soule hee doth not pray Christ to pull the nayles and the splinters out of his hands and feete to asswage and mitigate his bodily paines but all his care is for saving of his soule in like manner when wee come to die our request must bee that God would save our soules whatsoever becommeth of the body I did shew you the other day that if a house were burnt downe and the men in it should escape wee use to say thankes bee to God for it so though our bodies goe to the dust yet prayse God that our soules goe to heaven into eternall joy and glorie The second thing that I will demonstrate is that the soule doth not sleepe in the body when it is dead this is against the is Anabaptists who say that the soule sleepes in the body when it is in the grave but I know no ground for this opinion for whereas Christ sayes Iohn 11. our friend Lazarus sleepeth c. that cannot bee meant of the soule but of the death of the body so Matth. 27. it is said that the Saints that slept arose so then they have no Scripture for their opinion but against them Now wee will see what Reason wee have against them First see what is the cause of sleeping for it is by reason of certaine vapours that arise from the bottome of the stomack and ascend into the head where they binde the senses Now this cause is not in the soule and therefore that cannot sleepe Againe if the soule should sleepe it must sleepe in the body for cast out of the body it cannot sleepe because as long as the soule is in the body there is life in a man as S. Paul saith Act. 20. 9. of Eutichus Trouble not your selves saith he for there is life in him when he fell out of the window and every one thought hee had beene dead If they say that the soule sleepes out of the body it must sleepe in Heaven or in Hell or in this world or in the grave It can not sleepe in Heaven for there is joy nor in Hell for there is paine nor in this world for there is labour and paine nor in the grave for there is corruption therefore away with this sleepy opinion Now there is another kinde of sleepe of the soule in the body which S. Paul speaketh of Ephes 5. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee life therefore it is good for men to awake while they bee here out of this sleepe of sinne lest they bee fearefully awaked at the dreadfull day of judgement with this fearefull sentence Goe ye cursed into Hell fire prepared for the Devill and his Angells The third thing that I will demonstrate unto you is That the soules doe not goe to a middle place as the Papists say if men have done well then they goe to Heaven presently but if they have committed great faults then they rest in a middle place The Scriptures shew otherwise Eccle. 12. it is said that dust goeth to the earth and the soule to God that gave it and Christ said to the theefe This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Origen saith that that which Christ spake to the theefe on the Crosse hee spake to all his people that when they died their soules goe presently to joy and S. Paul shewes the same where hee saith 2 Cor. 6. 7. Therefore wee are bold and love rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God Hence then wee see it plaine in the Scripture that so soone as a man dieth his soule goeth home to God to glorie and happinesse if hee bee a true beleever Therefore seeing the soule doth not die neither with the body as the Atheists say nor sleepe in the body as the Anabaptists say nor rest in a middle place as the Papists say it is a certaine truth that the soules of the Godly are gathered presently after death into the Kingdome of Heaven O then what a joyfull meeting will that be when my soule and thy soule and all the soules of Gods Children shall bee gathered to Angels and Archangels to the Patriarchs and Prophets to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and all the Holy men of God that are departed in the faith of Christ therfore above all things my brethren labour to have Communion with the Saints here in the Kingdome of Grace that thou mayest have Communion with them in the Kingdome of glorie for if it bee a sweet thing to have Communion with the Saints here in this life much more it is a sweet and joyfull thing to have Communion with them in the Kingdome of glorie Now there are foure things in this life that hinder and allay the comfortable Communion that the Saints should have one with another 1. The mixture of wicked men 2. The Imperfection of good men 3. The Distance of place 4. The narrownesse of their love The first thing that taketh downe and allaieth the comfortable communion of the People of God in this World is mixture malorum The mixture of evill men and that in two respects First because they hurt and vexe them with their wrongs of the People of God be as Lambes amongst Wolves innocent and harmelesse and the wicked Ezekiel 34. 21. They are called Rammes that thrust with side and with shoulder and push at the weake with their hornes untill they have scattered them Therefore David complaines of the wicked Psal 144 That they eate Gods People as a man eats bread so also Psal 41. 9. saith he Yea my familiar friends whom I trusted which did eate of my bread have lift up the heele against me they that were of the same communion with him did much wrong him Saint Basil observeth that a ship in the Sea is in more danger of those rockes that are hidden with water than with those that may be seene a great way off so saith he the close and secret enemies of the Church and such as live amongst them are more dangerous than they that be open and apparent to be seene Secondly they grieve and offend them with their sinnes though they do not wrong nor hurt them otherwise yet with their sinnes and their uncivill conversation they doe vexe and grieve them as 2 Pet. 2.
before him clothed with our sinnes this made him afraid Secondly He was afraid of death which was neere at hand Now he was not afraid of death as it was a dissolution of nature a separation of the soule from the body but as it was joyned with the curse of God But let us consider these two causes of his feare a little better and we shall finde good matter of instruction in them First he was afraid to stand before God in judgement clothed and apparelled with our sinnes this was a strange thing that he which was the Sonne of God and the brightnesse of the glory of God should now be afraid to stand before God Now if he were afraid how much more may we be to stand before God in judgement to come before him in prayer to appeare in his holy presence If the Sonne of God was afraid then much more may we Indeed if we have repented for our sinnes carried them over unto Christ and doe beleeve in him then we may boldly stand before God in judgement and come before him in prayer and approch into his holy presence when we may say as David doth Psalm 26. Prove me O Lord and trie my wayes but if we have not repented of our sins nor carried them unto the shoulders of Christ if we doe not beleeve in him then we have just cause to be afraid Gen. 3. When Adam had committed but one sinne he was afraid to come before God in judgement and therefore hid himselfe If Adam was so afraid when he had committed but one sinne how much more should we be to come before him having committed many great and grievous sinnes therefore howsoever we may carry away the matter closely and be quiet in our consciences for a time yet if God should but bring his judgements upon us or death so that we come to appeare before God then we shall quake and tremble as Dan. 5. we see Belshazzar did who whilest he was making himselfe merry drinking and abusing the holy vessels of God and the hand-writing did but appeare on the wall quaked exceedingly so that his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled the joynts of his loynes were loosed his knees smote one against another Even so howsoever the wicked may be at peace and quiet a little while yet if God set up a throne of judgement then they will quake and be afraid to come before him In the Revelation we may see how the brave fellowes and gallant lads of this world and the great captaines howsoever they could carry away the matter and be at quiet for a little time when God sets up a tribunall seat to judge them they runne into caves and dens and desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon them to hide them from the presence of God So howsoever we may be at quiet for a time if we have not repented for our sinnes If God come to judge us we shall quake and tremble and desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon us and to hide us from the presence of God Secondly Christ was afraid of death which was neere at hand So Heb. 5. 7. Christ is said in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death It appeares he was afraid of death in that he prayed against it I but was Christ afraid of death we see that in the Revelation many of the Saints of God loved not their lives but did willingly embrace death And Act. 20. the Apostle Paul was not onely readie to bee bound for the name of God but to die for it And therefore wee see many of the people of God were not afraid of death how then was Christ afraid of it I answer that death may be considered two ways 1. As it is a dissolution of nature and a separation of the soule from the bodie 2. As it is joyned with the curse and wrath of God Now Christ was not afraid of death as it was a separation of the soule from the bodie but as it was joyned with the wrath and curse of God thus as it is a curse every man hath cause to be afraid of it but if it be joyned with the favour and love of God then we have no cause of feare Iohn 8. Christs threatens the Iewes that they should die in their sins Oh it is a fearful thing when men die in their sinnes under the wrath and curse of God unrepentant for them There is a great cause why such should be afraid of death a number of people there be that are contented to die and yet they are covetous persons vile livers swearers and drunkards but I tell thee if thou hast not repented for thy sinnes hast not caried them unto Christ and applied his righteousnesse unto thee thou hast great cause to be afraid of death Pull the sting out of the serpent and thou mayst put him into thy bosome but if thou let his sting alone be will sting thee So death hath a sting as 1 Cor. 15. 55. which is sinne therefore let this sting be taken away and then we have no cause to be afraid of death But Revel 20. 14. Death is said to goe before and Hell to follow after so that Hell is the tayle of Death and therefore wee have good cause to bee afraid thereof Bernard saith If thou hast put away all shame which appertaineth to so noble a a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorrow as carnall men doe not yet cast not away feare which is found in every beast Wee offer to load an Asse yet hee cares not for it though wee weary him out because he is an Asse but if thou wouldst thrust him into the fire or into a ditch he would avoid it as much as hee could for that hee loveth life and feareth death feare thou then and be not more insensible than a beast feare death feare judgement feare hell The second Affliction that wrought in Christ was heavinesse and sorrow and this not a common or an ordinary but a dreadfull sorrow Now what was the cause that Christ was thus sorrowfull I answer there were three causes of it First because he saw the face of God discomfortably to looke upon him which was wont to shine upon him with an amiable and loving countenance he that was wont to looke so sweetly upon him now to see him as an angry Iudge and not as a loving Father This was it that made him sorrowfull and heavie The Scribes and Pharisees looked upon him angerly yet he was never moved at it but when hee seeth Gods angry countenance towards him this did more touch him than all the bodily paines that hee felt for hee never complained of the spickes and nailes that were thrust into his hands and feet nor of his whipping or buffetting but when he saw Gods angry
the little Boy which runnes to our friend Iesus Christ who then comes and paies our debt pacifies the conscience and we goe free Secondly because it maketh us one with Christ as we see in the Galathians and in the Epistle to the Ephesians wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and therefore being one with him all the holy vertues that be in him are made ours the obedience of Christ his patience his love his meekenesse his goodnesse his holinesse and whatsoever is in him wee partake of it As we see in experience if a man be married to a woman whatsoever he hath hee communicates to his wife for if he be rich she cannot be poore if he be noble she cannot be base for looke what the man hath hee communicates to his wife even so being made one with Christ by faith looke what good things Christ hath that hee communicates to us his Righteousnesse his Holinesse c. Looke what he hath we cannot want If a man should commit treason against the king be condemned for it adjudged and sentence given that he shold have his hand cut off or his eyes pulled out if he had this cunning that he could make his hand or his eye to bee the eye of the kings sonne he should not have his hand cut off nor lose his eye because it then were the eye or hand of the kings sonne even so this is the skill and cunning of faith it makes us members and parts of Christ the sonne of God and therefore if wee be but the least bone in the body of Christ God will not cast us away we shall not perish for his sonnes sake So that faith doth not save us by reason it is a more holy quality than other graces or for the worthines of it above others but because it maketh us one with Christ as if a man had a stone in a ring that could heale many diseases we say it is the ring but indeed it is not the ring but the stone in the ring that cures them and even so it is said faith saveth us but not by the owne vertue but because it layeth hold on Christ and makes us one with him The second use of faith is to sanctifie us in this world for it doth not onely justifie us and take away the guilt of sinne but also sanctifies us in this world and taketh away the corruption of sinne So we see it is said Act. 15. Their hearts were purified by faith and Galatians 5. 6. that Faith worketh by Love There be two workes of faith First it worketh in heaven for when we have sinned and grieved God and are smitten in conscience for it accused and condemned then faith worketh in Heaven by tendring and offering up Iesus Christ to God for our Redemption and satisfaction of his justice Secondly faith worketh in earth by stirring up sanctified and holy motions Now two waies it may stirre up good motions First by the meditation of the death of Christ Secondly by combination or conjunction with Christ First by meditation for faith doth carry us to the crosse of Christ there to behold the great paines that Hee hath suffered for us how his body was racked and tormented for us and to this end Faith makes us consider these three things 1. The cause of his death 2. The end of his death 3. The manner of his death First to consider the cause of his death that it was nothing in himselfe but it was our sinnes and transgressions that caused his body to be whipped his face to be buffeted his hands to be peirced his feete to be nailed his Head to be crowned his sides to be launced with a speate So that our sinnes are the cause of the death of Christ and of all the grievous things that he suffered as it is in three and fiftieth chapter of Esay and the fifth verse But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed And 1 Peter 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that wee being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed and therefore seeing our sinnes caused this cruell death and grievous paine to be upon Christ to doe the like to our sinnes to goe to the crosse of Christ to take them downe to crucifie them to hang them up to take the speare out of Christs side to thrust it into the side of sinne as in the Revelation we may see a voyce came to the Church concerning bloody Babylon Reward her as shee hath rewarded you so doth this voyce come to a Christian concerning sinne reward it as that hath rewarded Christ that would not let Christ to be at rest till it had killed him even so we should not let sinne be at rest till wee have killed it saith Augustine If one should kill thy father or thy mother wouldest thou entertaine him into thine house wouldest thou let him feede at thy table nay thou wouldest hate him and spit at him nay saith he sinne hath not killed thy father and mother but it hath killed Christ thy Saviour and Redeemer what saith hee wilt thou then entertaine sinne wilt thou let it sleepe in thy bosome wilt thou feede it Nay saith he hate it defie it and spit at it as at a Toade The second thing we are to consider is the end of Christs death now all the paines that Christ suffered it was to abolish sinne so wee see Heb. 9. 26. But now in the end of the world hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. 8. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might loose the worke of the divell And therefore seeing the death of Christ was to abolish sinne if wee live in it we make all the paines of Christs sufferings and his death of none effect wherein judge you what an injury and wrong is offered to Christ the Prophet complaineth Esai 49. 4. That He laboured and spent his strength in vaine and for nothing such a complaint may Christ take up against us on the crosse For this cause was I sent of my Father into the world to abolish sinne and for this cause was I inclosed ninth moneths in the darke wombe of the Virgin and for this cause was I borne in a stable and layd in a manger for this cause was I thirty three yeeres labouring among you for this cause did I dye a cursed death on the corsse all this was to abolish sinne and therefore if men live in sinne still it may seeme to them Christ hath spent all his labour and strength in vaine nay he may say he hath spent his blood even all his blood even five streames of blood that came from him and all this in vaine to them It is said
in danger of drowning and had laboured all night then did Christ come to them in the fourth watch towards morning so still Christ comes when things be at the worst with us It is not a time for Christ to come till Herod bee king till things bee at the worst and when we have little hope as soone as we are touched with Gods hand we would have ease and helpe but Christs time is not till we be past helpe when things bee at the worst as Iohn 2. Christs time was not till all the wine was spent then it was a time for him to shew his power The second particular time set downe Luke 2. was when Augustus Caesar caused the whole world to be taxed which was first to fulfill a prophesie Dan. 2. 44. it was fore-told that God would set up another kingdome in the daies of the Roman kings that should batter breake and destroy all those kings which kingdome should stand for ever therefore howsoever we be subjects of another kingdome and citizens of other cities yet let us labour to bee citizens of this citie and subjects of this kingdome because this shall batter downe all other kingdomes and shall stand for ever The Thiefe on the crosse hee desired to be a subject of this kingdome saying Lord remember mee when thou comest into thy kingdome so let us pray to God to make us subjects of this kingdome since this shall stand when all other kingdomes shall fall Secondly it was to shew that Christ for our sakes came under the taxe and not onely the money taxe but to be taxed in his soule to have the fear full wrath and displeasure of God powred upon him and to die for our sinnes as Esai 53. The chastisements of our peace were upon him As Gen. 22. 6. Abraham tooke the woode of the Asse and laid it on the shoulders of his sonne so we were the Asses that were burthened God was he that tooke it off of us and laid it on the shoulders of his Sonne not only the mony taxe but the taxe of Gods wrath and displeasure And therefore if Christ were taxed for us let us be contented to be taxed for him wee thinke it a great matter to bee taxed in our names or goods yet this is not that by a thousand parts which Christ suffered for us The third thing is the place where Christ was borne in Bethlem so saith the Evangelist It was not in the Royall citie of the kingdome Ierusalem but in a poore towne a place of no great respect neither was hee borne in the bravest house but in an Inne and not in the best roome thereof but in a stable But why was Christ thus basely borne seeing the best place had been too base for him to be borne in if we consider the dignity of his person I answere first to shew the guilt of our sinnes which was upon him for he was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes caught hold on him and stopped him of his glory and turned him into a stable Genesis 4. sinne is compared unto a curst Dog that lyeth at the doore that a man goes no sooner out but he is ready to fly upon him and rende out his throat so wee see that Christ was no sooner come into the world but our sinnes caught hold on him and turned him into a stable therefore hence we may see our guiltinesse to be such that wee are not worthy of the meanest place we live in Secondly to procure a better place for us to bee borne in he was laid in a manger that we might bee laid in our soft beds It is the wantonnesse of the world to despise him because hee was poore but Christ came poore into the world to make us rich to which purpose Saint Bernard saith well Lord saith he I am more beholding to thee for thy poverty in redeeming mee than for all the riches of thy power in creating me Thirdly that wee should bee contented with any estate that God should assigne unto us let us looke on the estate of Christ he was contented to be borne in a stable laid in a cratch O that the world would thinke of their sinnes how that by reason of them they are not worthy of the meanest place they live in and yet we murmure and grudge against it though our estates be better than his was Hee was contented with his estate but wee are not with our estates it is our sinne repent we for it Fourthly the manner of Christs birth and that is to bee considered three waies first after the common manner wee be borne for when things be extraordinary then the holy Ghost doth set them downe in extraordinary termes and when they be common and ordinary then hee doth use ordinary termes to expresse himselfe by Now in this place where the holy Ghost speakes of the birth of Christ he doth use no extraordinary but the same termes that is used in the birth of other of the holy men of God as of Iohn Baptist and the rest therefore Christ was borne after the common and ordinary manner as wee be borne Indeede the conception of Christ was miraculous and extraordinary therefore they say that Christ did passe from his Mother and came through her without opening her wombe but this is a meere fancie of theirs the Scripture is against it for Luk. 2. 23. Every manchilde that first openeth the wombe shall beholy unto the Lord therefore we see the birth of Christ was ordinary and as other children passe away from their mothers so did hee the Fathers are plaine for this as Tertullian saith this is the wombe for whose sake it is said that every one that openeth the wombe shall be holy to the Lord and Saint Ierome the law of first opening the wombe shall be holy to the Lord doth most especially belong to Christ yet ordinarily to others The Papists object against this and say How could His mother be a virgin if Christ were borne after the same manner as others are I answere that the Scripture is plaine that shee was not onely a Virgin when Christ was conceived but so when Christ was borne as Esai 7. A Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne so shee was a Virgin at his birth yea the Schoolemen say that the breaking and opening of her wombe did not take away her virginity Hence wee conclude that Christ was borne after the ordinary manner we be The Vse is first to see the strange humility of Christ that he would be borne as we are and come into the world as we come which this place is not fit to describe but the next childe that comes into the world and that you are at the birth of you may consider it with this short meditation Thus was Christ borne in this weake manner and stepped thus low for my salvation and therefore how justly shall I perish if I
37. saith David Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace In 1 Sam. 12. 3. when Samuel came to resigne his office he standeth out to cleare himselfe to the people and saith Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or of whom have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes withall so when a man can stand out at the day of his death and cleere himselfe as Samuel did and say O Lord I thanke thee that I have not beene a deceiver or an unjust dealer in the world but I have dealt justly and uprightly this may be a comfort to him at the day of his death therefore it is a good thing to be a just dealer Secondly it is said he was a devout man as it is in the new Translation the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a religious man such a one as feared God so we must put both these together he was a just man and a religious man for it is nothing to be religious unlesse one be just nor nothing to bee just unlesse one be religious therefore if thou bee religious labour to bee just also if thou bee a just man labour also to bee religious for a man must so looke to his duties to God as that hee doe not neglect his service to men and so looke to men as that he doe not neglect his duety to God It is a corruption in the world that if a man be a good and a just dealer in the world he cares not for religion if he be religious hee cares not for good dealing therefore art thou a just man make conscience of religious dueties for howsoever thou mai'st stand before man and bee in account with him yet thou shalt not bee able to stand before God and art thou a religious man labour thou also to bee a just man a good dealer lest this lye on thy conscience at the day of thy death for no unjust man shall inherite the kingdome of God Thirdly hee waited for the consolation of Israel which implyes two things first that hee had laid up all his hope joy comfort and consolation in Christ which must likewise teach us to lay up all our hope and comfort in Christ as Phil. 3. the Apostle saith Christ was to him both in life and in death advantage and our Saviour saith Ioh. 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad so also Iohn 20. the Disciples said to Thomas Wee have seene the Lord and Mary she had laid up all her joy and comfort in Christ Many now adayes lay up their comfort in their friends some in their goods and lands or in their money but a Christian must lay up all his joy and comfort in Christ and then one day hee shall be happy with him let a man lay up his comfort in any thing but in Christ howsoever it may stand by him in the time of peace yet it will faile him in the time of trouble howsoever it stand by him in life yet it will faile him in the time of death but if we can lay up our comfort joy and hope in Christ then Christ will looke upon us with a sweete and comfortable face at his comming Secondly hee looked every day for the time of Christs comming so should we doe but there is a difference hee looked for his first comming in the flesh wee must looke for his second comming Rom. 8. 22. it is said the whole creation groaneth waiting for the comming of Christ much more should wee because wee shall have especially the fruit and benefit by it Iudges 5. The mother of Sisera looked out of a window and cryed why is his chariot so long a comming why tarry the wheeles of his chariots So when wee looke out of our doores or windowes we should long for Christs comming and say when will hee come and when will hee appeare thus wee should waite for Christs comming The second point is The manner how this manifestation was by a vision or as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth by divine inspiration Christ was made manifest to the shepheards by an Angell to the Wisemen by a starre and to Simeon by a Vision Of which there are two parts First that he should not dye till he had seene Christ Hee was an old man and like to drop into his grave every day and yet he had a revelation given him that he should not dye till he had seene Christ so we should pray to God that we may have the same grace whether we bee young or old that we may not dye till we have seene Christ by the eyes of our faith for we have more cause to doe so than Simeon for if he had never seene Christ with the eyes of his body he might have beene blessed though he had wanted this comfort but if we doe not see him before we dye we are like to perish therefore we have much more cause to desire and pray God that we may see Christ before we dye before we bee downe in the dust and sleepe our long sleepe saith old Iaakob when his sonne Ioseph sent for him I will goe and see my Sonne Ioseph before I dye so a Christian should say I will goe and see Christ before I dye The second part of the vision was that he must goe into the Temple because Christ was to bee found there before Christ came there he was in the townes why did not Simeon goe out to meete him in the streets or why did not he goe to Bethlehem to see Christ as the shepheards did There be two reasons of it First that Christ might bee the more famously knowne secondly to teach us that if we will see Christ we must come into the Temple to the place of preaching and prayer for the Gospell as I have shewed you is a glasse wherein if we looke wee shall see Christ and all his graces even as Simeon did come by a motion of the Spirit so if wee would come to see Christ in the Temple we must come by a motion of the Spirit and of grace many come to the Temple but how come they by a motion of their friends or some other thing that mooveth them but let us come by a motion of the Spirit and then we shall see Christ to our comfort Thirdly the effects of the manifestation and they are threefold first as soone as he was come into the Temple he laid hold on Christ Simeon was an old man and had much adoe to scramble thither and yet hee was not contented to looke upon Christ and see him in the armes of Ioseph and in the lap of Mary but hee gets him into his owne armes embraces him and blesseth God that he lived to see these happy daies so must wee doe not content our selves to see Christ in
that God the Creator should have suffered but one houre We see in nature that a wound at the heart although it be but with a little pin is more dangerous than a great cut in the thigh arme or any other place so it is a greater matter that Christ should have suffered than if all the creatures should have suffered So that the sufferings of Christ are more than sufficient to redeeme us for it is the dignity of the person that giveth a merit and efficacie to the sufferings by this that hath been said is made manifest that no man need doubt but that the sufferings of Christ is more worth than all the bodies and soules of men in the world But here may a question be moved how the death of Christ which was but temporary should be sufficient to redeemeus seeing we should have suffered eternally I answer it was the dignity of his person that gave power and efficacie to it for it was more that God should suffer even a little than if all the men of the world had suffered for ever Secondly seeing it was God that suffered this doth shew the grievousnesse of our sinnes that when we have sinned we have done that which all the powers in heaven and in earth cannot satisfie neither Angels nor Archangels but it must be the bloud of the Sonne of God saith Augustine O man doe but consider by the greatnesse of the price the greatnesse of thy sinnes we see what a slight matter we make of sinne when we have sworne an oath or told alye yet when wee have done so we have done that that all the Angels in heaven cannot make expiation and satisfaction for but onely the Sonne of God must doe it and that with his owne bloud therefore doe not thou sell that for a toy or a trifle that cost so great price Thirdly seeing it was God that suffered wee must not thinke much that we suffer for our sins for if God would have spared any he would have spared his owne Sonne one would thinke but he would not spare him though there was no inherent or reall sinne in him but a shadow onely and the imputation of sinne upon him therefore how shall hee spare us that have sinne inherent and reall in us we thinke much when our teeth or backe ake or any other part of us whereas wee deserve to be pained in all our parts if God suffered we must not thinke much to suffer for our sinnes for in mans reason if he would have spared any he would have spared his owne Sonne Matth. 20. saith our Saviour They will reverence my Son And Luk. 23. 34. he saith If they doe this to the greene tree what will they doe to the dry tree He was a greene tree full of goodnesse and full of grace we be but dry trees no goodnesse nor no grace in us If he suffered such things what shall become of us So Rom. 11. 21. For if God spared not the naturall branches take heed also lest hee spare not thee Therefore if Christ suffered we must not thinke much to suffer Thirdly For whom he suffered Saint Peter saith the just for the unjust And Rom. 5. 8. the Apostle saith But God commendeth his love to us seeing that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for us So then Christ died for us in our place and roome The Vses are First seeing Christ suffered in our roome and place therefore this must teach us that whatsoever befell Christ at his sufferings the same might justly have fallen upon us for Christ he tooke the guilt of our sinnes upon him suffered in our roome and place therefore whatsoever befell him the same should have befallen us as he was arraigned and condemned at Pilates barre so wee should have beene before Gods tribunall as he was condemned of Pilate so we should have beene condemned of God as he was accused of the Iewes so we should have been by the Devill as he was carried out of the Citie to the place of execution so we should have beene carried to hell as he was hanged on the Crosse so we should have been tormented in hell for ever as darknesse was over his face so we should have had our faces overwhelmed with darknesse for ever Alas we thinke much to suffer a little paine in our heads backes or teeth c. but what is this to that which Christ suffered for us we have our houses to rest in but it is said that the Sonne of man hath not a place to rest his head in He died in the fields wee have our soft beds he amongst his enemies we amongst our friends Christ was a hungry and thirsted we have our tables filled he was in want and we have plenty therefore consider with thy selfe what great things befell Christ the same should have befallen thee whatsoever extremitie in soule or in body came to him the same nay worse had not he redeemed thee would have vexed thee Secondly seeing Christ suffered in our roome and place this therefore should teach us to accuse our selves because wee be the cause of Christs sufferings for it is our sinnes that caused a crowne of thornes to be set on his head that nailed him to the crosse that thrust the speare into his sides did crucifie him So Esa 53. 16. it is said That the chastisements of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Therefore as Gen. 35. 18. Rachel named her son Ben-oni the sonne of her sorrow because he was borne with the death of his mother so Christ may call us â—â—nnes of his sorrow because we be all borne with his death There be many that complaine of the souldiers of Pilate of Iudas and of the Iewes but we ought rather to complaine of our selves our sinnes and the vile life we live in therefore let us doe as Ioseph of Arimathea did goe to the crosse of Christ as hee pulled the spickes out of his hands and his feet so should wee in a spirituall manner goe to the crosse of Christ looke upon his body and say O blessed Lord this is the head that my sinnes have crowned with a crowne of thornes these be the hands that my sins have pierced these be the feet that my sinnes have nailed this is the face which my sinnes caused to be spit upon this is the backe which I caused to be whipped and these be the sides that I caused to be wounded with a speare thus we should complaine of our selves and weepe day and night in that we were the cause of his death If a man be found dead there is inquiry made in the countrey how this man came by his death So now that Christ is found dead on the crosse we must make inquiry how Christ came to his death upon the inquiry we shall finde that we be the crucifiers of him not the Iewes onely but my sinnes and thy sins for as
countenance bent towards him this made him complaine on the Crosse My God why hast thou forsaken me Of which wee have two Vses First To prise the favour of God above all things and to joy in it howsoever men be displeased with us to make little account of our ease pleasure and profits but to prise the love of God above all things and to say with David Psalm 63. 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better than life my lips shall praise thee And Psalm 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Secondly To mourne for the losse of Gods favour more than for the losse of worldly friends or for the losse of worldly goods or jewels thus wee see Christ did he was sorrowfull to see the angry countenance of God towards him Exod. 33. 4. we see when the Lord had told the people that an Angel should conduct them but he would no more go before them because they were a stiffenecked people they were dejected and no man put on his best rayment then Moses said If thy presence goe not carry us not hence So a Christian man must say when he is going out of his doore Lord carry me not from this place unlesse thy holy presence goe with me for if God be not with us we have just cause to be sorrowfull and heavie it is a pitifull thing that men can weep and sorrow for the losse of a wife or a childe or of some worldly goods but cannot weep for the losse of Gods favour Iudg. 18. 24. we see how Michah did weepe for the losse of a false god when the souldiers had taken away his gods he runnes crying after them and when they asked him why he cried saith he Yee have taken away my gods and now what have I more If Michah thus wept for the losse of his false gods how much more should we weepe for the losse of the true God And therefore men have great cause to weepe when they have driven away God from them by their sinnes The second cause of Christs sorrow was To make expiation and satisfaction for our sinnes because all sinnes are done and committed with delight therefore there must be sorrow and heavinesse to make expiation and satisfaction for them for it is a ruled case That as we doe commit sinne with delight so there should be sorrow to make satisfaction for it therefore wee are called often to weep and to mourne for our sins the greatnesse whereof we may see by the greatnesse of the sorrow that was in Christ therefore we must grieve and sorrow for our sinnes proportionably as Christ hath grieved and sorrowed for us seeing whatsoever we should have suffered he suffered for us Thirdly His sorrow was to leave us him for an example that as he sorrowed for sinne so unlesse we repent wee shall sorrow and weepe too Christ sorrowed and wept for other mens sinnes then wee have cause to sorrow and weepe for our owne sinnes to grieve throughly for them as Hosea 9. 1. saith the Lord Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast goe a whoring from thy God So if we have sinned against God there Is little cause why wee should rejoyce therefore what must wee doe we must goe into the Garden with Christ weepe along after him fall downe flat upon the ground before God and never bee at rest till wee have assurance to our soules that all our sinnes are pardoned for shall Christ sorrow for our sins and we never be moved We see 2 Sam. 11. when Vria came to David hee bids him goe downe to his house and wash his feet yet he would not but slept at the doore of the Kings Palace then it was told David who demanded of him why hee went not downe to his wife his answer was The Arke and Israel and Iuda abide in Tents and my Lord Ioab is in the field shall I then goe into my house to eat and drinke c. So we must say My Lord Iesus is in the Garden weeping sorrowing sweating bleeding and grovelling on the ground for my sinnes and shall I live then in delight Nay I will sorrow and weepe for them for sinne will cost sorrow either here or in hell therefore better it were to weepe for them here in earth when we may have comfort and hope than to weepe for them in hell where wee shall never have comfort for sinne is like to a legge that is out of joynt that cannot be set without great griefe and sorrow The third Affliction that which was wrought in Christ was astonishment or an amazednesse Matth. 26. 38. the Greeke word doth signifie that he was in a great perplexity that he knew not whither to goe nor what to say nor how to winde out himselfe such an astonishment there was and such amazednesse in the holy soule of Christ what was the reason of it because the curse of God was to come upon him for our sinnes Oh thinke of this this was that which did so amaze and perplex him therefore if he was thus troubled and perplexed to thinke of the curse of God which hee was to undergoe what shall become of us what perplexitie and amazement shall we be in when we shall stand before God we shall hardly know what to doe or where to winde or turne our selves but wee shall desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon us and to cover us from the presence of God and from his angrie countenance And therefore let every man be afraid to live in his sinnes without repentance and never let him looke for hope of ease unlesse he doe repent and turne to God here wee have twenty trickes to put off the Law and to shift that but when wee shall stand before God wee shall have no shifts to excuse the matter SERM. XIV MATTHEW 20. 17. And Jesus going up to Ierusalem tooke the twelve Disciples apart in the way and said unto them Behold wee goe up to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall be betrayed unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death And shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise againe THe point now in hand is the Behaviour or Carriage of Chirst in his Afflictions set out two wayes 1. By his Prostration on the ground 2. By his Prayer First by his Prostration Luke saith hee kneeled downe but the other that he fell downe flat upon the ground on his face this is a strange thing that Christ fell downe on the ground not able to beare our sinnes whereas Hebr. 1. 1. Hee is able to beare up heaven and earth with his mighty Word And yet the heavie burthen of our sinnes pressed him downe to the ground Many a man makes a sleight matter of sinne but it is the heaviest burthen that may be for all other
was to hasten his death and to rid him quickly of his paine for myrrh doth open the veines and in the margins of our Bibles wee finde it so noted Physitians say that wine being taken inwardly doth open the veines also but being taken outwardly doth stoppe them it is reported that it was the maner of the Iewes when they would hasten the death of any they gave them some bitter potion to drinke but this cannot be the reason why they gave it Christ for they did it not out of kindnesse or favour but in cruelty as we may gather by the words of David Psal 69. 21. where he saith they gave me also gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drinke Prov. 31. Solomon willeth us to give wine to those that are weake and strong drinke to those that bee afflicted so the Iewes did give wine to Christ but it was wine mingled with Myrrh it had a tang and a sowre tast with it so also many such mingled cups we give to our brethren it may bee wee releeve and helpe them but it is with a tang with bitternesse and sowrenesse it is said in the Scripture that God gives to us a pure cup of comfort and addes no sorrow to it such pure cups of comfort wee should give to our brother I dare say there is not any man but would bee ready to condemne the Souldiers and the Iewes because in his extremitie they gave him a mingled cup But let us looke into our selves what doe we wee give him such a mingled cup for every sinne we doe commit is as a drop of poyson put into a cup for Christ to drinke therefore whereas we see that we can complaine of the souldiers and of the Iewes we had neede learne to complaine of our selves much more Now Christ refused to drinke of this This may seeme a strange thing in Christ seeing hee yeelded his backe to the whip and his head to bee crowned his hands to be nailed his face to be spitted on and to bee buffeted refusing none of these things What therefore was the reason that he refused to drinke of this I answer first to teach us the true latitude and extention of Christian patience for there bee two sorts of passions some there be that be of necessity and some voluntary or arbitrary now those that be of necessity such our Saviour did not refuse such as was needfull for the salvation of man but those that were arbitrary and voluntary those our Saviour refused which may teach us this high point of wisedome that those passions that bee by authoritie and those that come immediate from God these we must with Christian patience beare but if it be an arbitrary or voluntary passion then we may refuse it it is an opinion of the world that a Christian must beare any thing that is put upon him but we see in the example of Christ how farre our Christian patience doth extend SERMON XX. MATTHEW 27. 34. They gave him vinegar to drinke mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof hee would not drinke WE may behold the resemblance and similitude of a great tree in a glasse but not in the same proportion that it hath as it groweth but a great deale lesse for alwayes the resemblance is lesse than the thing it selfe that is resembled so the Gospell is a great glasse that doth shew unto us the great love of Christ in the worke of our redemption but as resemblances be lesse than the things resembled so whatsoever wee say of the love of Christ it comes farre short of the love it selfe which Christ hath shewed unto us as it will easily appeare by the due consideration of the manner of Christs crucifiing and therefore let us proceed in order from that which we left at The last day we made entrance upon the point when amongst other things we spake of that bitter cup presented unto him whereof hee refused drinke one reason whereof wee shewed then which was to teach us the extent of our Christian liberty now wee passe on to that which remaines The second was that we might more sensibly see the love of Christ to us for all the suffering which were needfull for our salvation he refused not but did with patience endure them but whatsoever was voluntary or did concerne himselfe those he refused Ionas he could not endure the heate of the Sunne for himselfe yet hee could abide to bee throwne into the sea for the good of others and for their safety so Christ was contented for our good to be apprehended condemned and to bee spet upon to bee crowned with thornes whipped nailed to the crosse flung into the grave and yet he would not suffer any thing that did concerne himselfe but refused it Now the next generall point to be observed is the very act of his crucifying shewed but in a word Hee was crucified and yet there is much paine much adoe a great deale of torment shut up in the belly and bowels of that word For first they threw downe the Crosse upon the ground Secondly they drew or pulled out all the fearfull instruments for that purpose Thirdly they stripped him Fourthly they laid him on his backe and they stretched out his hands and his feet upon the Crosse and nailed him unto it Lastly they did reare up the Crosse into the ayre as though he were unworthy to be upon the ground And thus we see what a deale of paine and torments is shut up in the bowels of this one word whence for our learning we may gather these good instructions following First seeing Christ was crucified for us this should make us bewaile our sinnes with bitternesse that we should be the parties should bring all these pains upon Christ forhe suffred not for his own sins for he was innocent and holy but for my sinnes and thy sinnes which we daily live in Esay 53. the Prophet saith The chastisement of our peace was upon him and 1 Pet. 3. 24. it is said Who in his owne bodie bare our sinnes upon the tree therefore seeing our sins brought all those paines upon Christ we have cause to bewaile them we can bewaile the punishments we bring upon our selves but how much more should we bewaile the punishment wee bring on Christ as the spickes and the nails being driven into the hands and feet of Christ when he was crucified made the bloud runne out at the holes so the meditation and consideration thereof should cause our consciences to bleed And now seeing our sinnes have brought Christ on the crosse what will we doe mock him as the wicked Iewes and the souldiers did or be silent as the Disciples were or stand still No but we must after a spiritual manner go to the crosse of Christ and say Lord wilt thou die for me and suffer such great paines and torments I have eaten sowre
he that heareth my Word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come unto condemnation And therefore howsoever a Christian may be condemned in the court of man yet he shall not be condemned in Gods court this may be the stay of a Christian Rom. 8. the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to those that be in Christ so if a man be in Christ he is freed from eternall death Secondly The death of Christ hath freed us from the sting of death for as we have heard ever man hath a deaths cup put into his hands but Christ hath taken the sowre out of our cups and put it into his owne and we have the sweet Thirdly He hath altered the nature of death for it was a curse unto us and now he hath made it a blessing as in the Revelation Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Fourthly We are freed from the power of death it was seize upon us for a little season but it cannot keepe us under it is impossible that death should hold him under so it is said of Christ Act. 2. 24. He hath loosed the sorrowes of death because it is impossible he should be holden of it So it shall be with every true Christian death shall not hold them Fifthly By his death he hath destroyed the Devill sinne hell damnation and all other spirituall enemies and hath not onely conquered them for himselfe but for us therefore as Iosua when he had conquered the five Kings he called his servants and made them set their feet in their neckes So Christ will call forth his servants to set their feet on the neckes of their spirituall enemies and so make them conquerours Therefore let us lay hold on Christ if we have him we have all things and if we want him we lacke all things let us roll and wrap up our selves in the death of Christ and then his paines shall be our ease his shame our glory his life our death SERMON XXVIII IOHN 19. 38. And after this Joseph of Arimathea being a Disciple of Jesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that hee might take away the body of Iesus and Pilate gave him leave hee came therefore and tooke the body of Iesus BEloved yee have beene at the buriall of many your good friends and I must intreat you to bee at one more and that is at the buriall of Christ and not so much to honour him with your presence as Christ may honour you and I must further intreate you not onely to bury Christ but to bury your selves to lay your body upon his body I meane your vile lusts and sinnes and then as Christ lay three daies in the grave and then rose againe so we shall rise at the time appointed to glory and everlasting happinesse Now in the buriall of Christ we observe divers particulars 1. What were the causes why he was buried 2. Who were the parties that buried him 3. The place where they buried him 4. The manner of his buriall 5. The fruits and effects of it The reasons why Christ was buried are in number foure first to give us further assurance of the death of Christ because all the hope of a Christian dependeth on his death as being the very price to satisfie the justice of God for mans sinne and it is as wee heard the golden key to open heaven to the true beleevers therefore there must be undoubted evidence of his death and what better can there bee than this he was buried for let a man be dead and straight way they bury him if Christ had beene alive Pilate would not have given leave to Ioseph to have taken him downe and therefore before he would give licence to bury him he enquired of the Centurion to know whether he were dead or not and finding that hee had beene dead an houre Pilate gave leave to Ioseph to take him downe and againe if Christ had not beene dead Ioseph would not have buried him because hee was a friend to Christ if there had beene but a sparke of life in him hee would not have buried him therefore this is another evidence that Christ was truely dead for men if there bee any humanity or compassion in them doe not use to bury living men but dead men therefore Abraham saith in Gen. 21. Give mee a place that I may bury my dead in so that Iosephs burying of Christ was an evidence that Christ was truely dead and Gods justice fully satisfied death and hell conquered the devill subdued and God pacified and pleased Matth 12. our Saviour saith that he will be the signe of the Prophet Ionas to them Now what was that when they were at sea there arose a great storme and the men were in danger of drowning so that they were faine to cast out their goods but when that would not doe they tooke Ionas and cast him into the sea and there was a great calme so in the generall distresse of mankinde we were all like to perish till Christ was killed and cast into the grave and then heaven and earth were at peace God was pacified and pleased therefore in all the distresses of a Christian let him goe to the grave of Christ behold him killed and crucified for thy sinnes this will make feare to fly away and comfort will spring from it Secondly that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold even in the cabbin and house of death as Iob saith Chap. 17. 13. for the grave is the house of death and there bee the chambers and roomes of death and there is the greatest power that death hath to subdue mortall men therefore Christ was buried that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold Brave Conquerours and Captaines are not contented to overcome their enemies in the field but they will pursue and follow them into their strongest holds and castles and so will conquer them there thereby to make their victory the greater so Christ did not onely conquer death on the crosse but followed him into his denne and strongest hold and overcame him there Sampsons victory was the greater that he suffered his enemies to binde him and then did breake in sunder his bands and overcame them so this made the victory the greater that Christ would suffer himselfe to be bound with the chaines of death and to be laid in the strongest hold of death yet there to overcome him Now as Christ conquered death so must every Christian conquer death not by flying and avoiding it for that we cannot doe we may not looke to doe as Henoch did goe to heaven without death but we must goe to the place of death and into his dens and conquer him there Thirdly to sanctifie and to sweeten the grave for us for in it selfe it is a place of rottennesse and filthinesse and therefore
directed to keep thy Statutes I cannot do as I would but would to God my heart were directed to keepe thy Statutes David had no strength to doe as he would but he desires it above his strength so should we Secondly The manner how Christ did appeare to her He shewed himselfe strange a long time and held her in suspence and yet Mary sought for Christ and sought for him when others gave over with teares which may teach us that many a good Christian may seeke for Christ with teares that is in truth of affection and yet not presently finde him they may seeke long and attend upon the meanes but as Christ did appeare to Mary so in due time thou shalt see him to thy comfort Now there were two causes why Christ did not appeare to Mary nor shew himselfe to her presently First through her owne default for when Christ appeared to her shee thought it had beene the Gardiner Hee did not appeare in such a forme but Marie thought so she did so sorrow and mourn for Christ that though he were before her she could not see him it was through her owne default so God many times gives comfort to us when through our owne default we see not the comfort that is before us through the sorrow and griefe wee sustaine but refuse it when it is offered and this is the cause why it is so longâ—ere some can receive comfort As Psal 77. David saith My soule refused comfort so it is with Christians many times God offereth comfort to them and they refuse it this is the estate of the best so likewise Christ appeared to the World when through their owne default they could not see him through the blindnesse and ignorance that remained in them even to this day they see not though hee speakes unto them day by day they have not the eyes of Faith to see him This is the estate of the World though God speakes unto them they know it not they thinke it is the Gardiner they thinke it is the voyce of a Man and not of God but the true Church of Christ knowes when Christ is speaking unto her It is the voyce of my welbeloved so Christ no sooner speakes but they know it but the greatest part of the world doe not so though hee speakes unto them from day to day Christ appeares unto them and through their owne default they doe not see him The second cause was Through a speciall dispensation that shee might the more repent of her sinnes and make a triall of her faith to make the present more comfortable as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his brethren a long time and afterward did reveale himselfe unto them so though Christ make himselfe strange and hold us in suspence for a time it is because hee would have our faith tried and because wee might have the greater comfort when we finde him Now though he held himselfe a long time in suspence yet Christ did discover himselfe by a word for he saith Marie and she turned about and said Rabboni Master so it was but a word of Christ that gave comfort he can doe it by a word hee can make all our discomforts to cease and give comfort with a word Thus wee see Matth. 8. that the Centurion said to Christ Doe but speake the word and thy servant shall be whole If Christ doe but speake a word his wisedome is to lay hold on that word which must teach us that wee must catch hold on every little word of Christ I have shewed you heretofore that it is the nature of the Vine to catch hold on every little sticke or on every little thing with his twigs to lift up himselfe so a Christian must lay hold on every little word of Christ to help him by But it is a pittifull thing that one word of Christ will not serve nor all the words of Christ nor the mercies nor the judgements of God to turne us to him as Marie catched hold on every little word so it must bee our wisedome to lay hold on the least word that may bring us to Christ From hence two things are to be considered First That true faith doth lay hold on every little word of Christ It is like the Vine that layeth hold on every little sticke and post with his keyes and clanvers to lift up himselfe so true faith will lay hold on every little means to lift up it selfe if it be but a word it will lay hold on it as wee see Iohn 2. Christ saith to his mother Marie Woman my houre is not yet come she layes hold on this word of Christ and saith to the servants whatsoever hee bids you doe that doe you and you shall not want wine so Matth. 15. It was but a word that Christ spake to the woman of Canaan and a sowre word too yet the poore woman catches hold of it so in the booke of Kings when Benhadads servants came unto the king they catched hold on every word thus where there is true faith it will lay hold on every little word of Christ therefore when men cannot catch hold on one word of Christ nor all the words of Christ this doth shew the dulnesse and deadnesse of mens hearts It is said Ionah 2. They which follow lying vanities forsake their owne mercies and there is great mercie offered in the Word in the preaching of the Gospell but they which despise and refuse it despise and forsake this great mercy that is offered unto them The second thing is The infinite comfort that a Christian hath after hee findes Christ Heaven and Earth cannot give that comfort that a Christian hath after he hath found him Therefore although it cost a man sore travell and labour and a great deale of paines yet hee thinkes his labour well bestowed if he can finde him at last so we see in Marie that she sought Christ and sought him with teares and yet when she had found him how joyfull was she saying Rabboni Master thou art the man I sought for thou thou art he I did long for so Ioh. 1. 41. Andrew saith to Simon Peter we have found the Messias and the wise men Matth. 2. when they had found Christ they rejoyced exceedingly therefore whatsoever paines a Christian takes to seeke Christ if once hee have found him the World cannot make him so glad he thinkes all his paines and labours well bestowed If a man finde a bag of gold how glad will he be but all the gold in the World is not like to it the Apostle counteth all things dung and drosse in regard of it It is like the pearle that the Merchant went and sold all that he had to buy the field where the Pearle was Thirdly the end why Christ did Manifest himselfe to Marie was twofold 1. By information and instruction to informe her selfe 2. To Comfort his Disciples First these words touch
could not redeeme him nor all the Patriarches and holy Men but it must be the blood of the Sonne of God and all his blood and in so great extremity as we have heard From the consideration of this we have the more cause to be thankefull unto him as Ioh. 13. Peter wonders at the humility of Christ that he would stoope so low to wash his Disciples feete or hee that was the Lord of all higher than the Heavens should stoope so low to wash my feete so wee may much more wonder and admire at this love of Christ that he would dye for us and dye such a cursed death O Lord wilt thou interpose thy soule for mine and thy body for my body and dye for mee that I might live still and therefore wee have no cause to bee offended at the crosse of Christ but we have cause to be the more thankfull to God for it and to say as Saint Iohn saith Hee hath loved us and hath washed away our sinnes in his blood as it is Esay 53. All we like sheepe have gone astray we have turned every one to his owne waies and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquite of us all Ambrose confesseth that he was more beholding to God for the worke of Redemption for redeeming him with his blood when he was lost by sinne than for creating him by his Power Therefore this may take away the scandall of the crosse because it was of necessitie that he must suffer Now that which tooke away the scandall of Christs crosse may take away the scandall of our crosse for many times a Christian man is at a stand and at a maze in himselfe and saith as the Disciples said We trusted it should have beene hee that should have delivered Israel so I trusted and hoped once that I should have beene saved but there bee so many crosses and so many troubles come upon me that I doubt I make a doubt of it whether I shall be saved or no. And that it is needfull wee should suffer as Christ did these reasons plainely shew First it is of Necessity that we should suffer because we should be conformable to him for as the head suffered so must the members as Christ speaketh Matth. 16. If any man will follow me saith he let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me so Col. 1. 24. Now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the affliction of Christ in my flesh as Christ suffered in the flesh in himselfe so Paul suffered in his members and therefore it is of necessity that we should suffer Secondly because there be a number of sinnes that be so sunke and soken into the flesh that they cannot be purged out but by the crosse so David saith Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word so Esai 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Iaakob be purged and this is all the fruite the taking away his sinnes hence there be a number you see of sinnes that are so sunke and soken into the flesh that they cannot bee purged out but by the crosse as if gold bee rust and canker-fretted it cannot bee helpt but it must be cast into the fire so there be some sinnes that cannot be purged out but it must be by the fire of affliction Thirdly it was of Necessity that we should suffer To prevent sinne in us so wee see Gen. 20. the Lord came in a dreame to Abimelech and told him that hee did keepe him that hee should not sinne against God and how did God keepe him by laying his judgements upon him so 2 Cor. 12. when Paul was carried into the third heavens and saw things that could not bee uttered lest he should bee lifted up above measure the Lord sent the prick of the flesh and the messenger of Sathan to buffet him to keepe downe this naturall pride so wee see there is a necessity of the crosse and therefore have no cause to bee offended at it The second thing that Christ doth informe them of is the good utility end and issue that the crosse hath that it is so farre from taking away any thing as that it doth open away to the kingome of heaven as Phil. 2. 8 9. Paul shewes he humbled himselâ—e and â—â—â—me obedient to the death even to the death of the crosse wherefore God hath also â—â—ghly exalted him and given him a Name above all other Names here is another consideration to take away the scandall of the crosse because it was by it that Christ entred into his glory so if we will goe to glory we must goe the same way there is no other there is no neerer way to heaven but by the crosse as it is Act. 14. Through many troubles and afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven so Matth. 20. when the woman came with her two children she makes this request to Christ that the one may sit at his right hand and the other at his left Christ answeres by way of question Can ye drinke of the cup that I must drinke of and be baptized with the baptisme that I must be baptized with for before ye drinke of the cup of glory ye must drinke of the cup of affliction therefore no man ought to be discouraged at afflictions or crosses seeing it is the way whereby we enter into glory 2 King 2. 11. when Elias was taken into heaven he was not carried in a golden chariot as the Papists say that Henoch was but it was a chariot of fire and horses of fire and yet hee was not afraid of them because they were the horses and the chariot that should carry him to heaven so when wee see the firy horses of afflictions and of death to come we should not be afraid of them because they be the horses and chariots that carry us into glory therefore this is that which should make us goe cheerefully thorough all troubles and afflictions this is that which made Paul say that he counted all things but dung and drosse that he might win Christ and that he might come to glory so whatsoever it cost a man though it cost him his life and his blood yet all is well bestowed so he may win Christ and come to glory Now to this information he doth annex a Confirmation and proves it by the Scriptures and so begins at Moses and the Prophets and doth interpret all the things that are spoken of him Now herein we may observe many things first hee doth labour to sound the faith of the Disciples on the Scriptures hee might have discovered himselfe at the first and said I am hee or might have shewed them his hands or his sides as he did afterwards in this chapter but hee goes on and leades them through the Scripture and doth interpret unto them all the places that were spoken of
shall have at the day of judgement at this present the soules of the faithfull are in glory and the world sees it not but a the day of judgement there shall be further declaration of it So then wee see the former opinion is false Now it is not onely against Scriptures but against reason and that both naturall reason and sanctified or rectified reason First it is against naturall reason because all motions are without cessations till they come to their proper place unlesse they be hindred by some violence as a stone flung down a hill rests not till it comes at the bottome unlesse it be hindered by violence so the proper place of the Saints is heaven thither they move unlesse they be hindered now there is nothing can hinder them but sinne but when they are dead they have no sinne therefore they must needs goe to heaven that they have no sinne it is plaine by the Scripture as Rom. 6. 7. for he that is dead is free from sinne and Augustine saith wee live not without sinne so long as wee bee here but when we be out of this life then sinne ceaseth to this the Schoolemen agree that all sinne ceaseth in a Christian when he is dead In the estate of grace there is no man without sinne but when this life is ended then sinne ceaseth Now if any shall say that the decree of God is hinderance enough I answer there is no such decree set downe in the booke of God Secondly it might seeme injustice in God to delay glory where there is not cause to keepe them from it so the Greekes opinion is against naturall reason Secondly it is against rectified or sanctified reason for the Lord is more inclined to mercy than to judgement as soone as the wicked are dead their soules goe into hell as Luke 16. the soule of the rich man as soone as he was dead was carried into hell while his brethren were alive and had Moses and the Prophets to speake to them therefore it is agreeable to justice that the soules of the just should goe to heaven so soone seeing he is inclined more to mercy than to judgement Augustine saith the soule of a good man goeth to God when hee is dead to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and the soules of the wicked goe to hell therefore it is out of question that the soules of the godly goe to heaven before the judgement day Secondly the Church Militant is that part of the Church which is a warring and fighting in this world against sinne the devill the world and temptations where although it pleaseth God to give them many victories conquests and triumphs in this world as the Apostle â—aith Rom. 8. In all these things we are more than conquerers yet because it is not without paine and labour toyle and trouble yea not without blood as is shewed Heb. 12. 4. Yâ—â— have not yet resisted unto blood the Church of God hath a number of these incursions and conflicts and as one saith that the devils follow them like a number of barking and bawling dogs and are never at rest therefore it is called the militant Church To this purpose 1 Tim. 6. 12. Paul exhorts Timothie to fight the good fight of faith laying hold of eternall life and 2 Tim. 2. 3. Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good Souldier of Iesus Christ the people of God bee never at rest here the devill will follow and pursue them the world will have a â—ing at them and their sinnes will trouble and annoy them therefore they must lye in campe against all their enemies These are the two maine parts of the Church and this is the order betweene them that the Church militant is a doore gate or poâ—ch to the Church triumphant for wee must be members first of the Church militant before wee come to bee members of the Church triumphant as Dan. 1. 4. there were certaine of the Children of Israel fed with the kings meate that at three yeeres end they might stand before the king so it pleaseth God the great King of Heaven and Earth to feed us here in the militant Church that one day wee may stand before him in the Church triumphant We have heard heretofore out of the Booke of Ester that king Ahashuerosh had two houses for his Maides there was a house of sweete perfume where they were kept for a season before they were brought to the kings house so God hath two houses there is the militant Church and the Church triumphant whereof this is the order that first they must live in the Church militant being perfumed with the graces of his Spirit before they can come to live in the Church triumphant therefore it must be the care of every man so to carry himselfe in the militant church as that be may come to live in the Church Triumphant Thus much of the doctrine now for the use First seeing the Church of God is Militant here in this world therefore wee must looke for no perfect peace here although it pleaseth God sometimes to give the Church rest as it is said Acts 9. 31. That the Churches had rest yet usually it is but a little breathing time it will not be long we must prepare for a new encounter for 1 Cor. 15. it is said The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Therefore till death come that we may lie downe in the grave we must looke for vexation and trouble never to be at rest till then for when the Divell doth cease tempting of us and the world is at quiet with us then we have our owne lusts and sinnes to trouble us Augustine saith well the life of a Christian here in this world is nothing but a warfare this is not the place of triumph for what are these but the speeches of warre The good things that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I and againe I see a law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde leading mee captive to the Law of sinne and death Here is nothing but speech of leading captive and rebellion and he askes the question when will this warre be at an end His answere is When this corruption shall put on incorruption and when this mortall shall put on immortalitie Therefore we must looke for no perfect peace in this World for our sinnes and corruptions will trouble us the world will be against us and the Divell will barke and bawle against us so that a Christian cannot be at quiet while he lives here There be some weake Christians who thinke that because they have many temptations troubles and afflictions that therefore they are no members of Christ nor of the Church of God for if they were they think they should be at peace but here the Divell proceeds against them with false Logicke for they ought rather thus to argue because we live in
because men know not his worth 182. †Things of inestimable price aâ— the Graces of the spirit Kingdome of heaven Soules of men Favour of God unlawfull to be sold 182 183. The great dignity to bee the Sonnes of God 46. Christ the Sonne of God not by creation as Angels nor by adoption as men but by communication of nature and essence 92. ¶ Wee should labour to become the Sonnes of God 93. * Christs sorrow on the crosse a dreadfull sorrow 155. ¶ Three causes thereof 156. The immortalitle of the soule 257. * 602. The soules of the faithfull goe to Heaven immediately after death 243. †260 * Our soules ought to bee rendred up in as good a case as they were given us 99. * Christs Soule a pledgâ— and pawne for ours 259. ¶ Christ sometime is â—ound of them that sought how not 316. ¶ Idle speeches like the â—aste water of a Conduit 310. †God speeches must â—t bee quenched but cherisht 320. †God gives but a portie of the Spirit in this life 488. †¶ No fulnesse of the Spiâ—â—â— in this life 489. †Fulnesse of Spirit is â—even c. what 392. ¶ c. Degrees of the Spirit 501. The right worke of the â—irit in a Weake Strong Christian wherein it consists 501. 503. As fire by too much wâ—lâ— and a Ship by too great a burthen so 〈◊〉 Spirit quenched by too many worldly â—res 522. †Of the Starre that appeâ—ed to the Wisemâ—n 135. The Scriptures and faâ—â—full Ministers 〈◊〉 Starres to direct us 〈◊〉 Christ 136. †A Christian should deâ—e God to stay with him in time of Trouble Death 33. Stirring up one anotâ— to good duties 125. * Reasons theâ—of ibid. ¶ Wicked mens hearts â—rder than stones 271. †Ill successe shâ—ld bee no hindrance in our search for Christ 134. * Of Christs suâ—â—rings in generall 145. Christ suffeâ—d from 〈◊〉 The cup of malediction Desertion on the Crosse 153. Apprehension Arraignement Condemnation Execution 177. God suffere In humane Not divine nature 147. ¶ Of Christs â—â—ferings Duplex necessita Pretii or paying the price of mans redemption Exempli or good example 146. 327. The utilitie Christs sufferings 329. Christs 〈◊〉 more admirable his sufferings not profitable 145. ¶ Christ suâ—â—ed that mee might not suffer 146. ¶ Whatsoeverâ— fell Christ in his sufferings not due 〈◊〉 149. * From Christ sufferings we must learne 〈…〉 of our salvation â—e grievâ—â—snesse of our sinnes suffer our selves â—or sinne 148. Christ suffer to bring us 〈◊〉 to God 150. The 〈…〉 of Christs sufferings was to Râ—â—â—ncile us to God 〈◊〉 sinne 152. Wee must suffeâ—â— to Bee 〈◊〉 to Chr. Purge â— sinne Prevâ—â—â—nt 328. The end of alâ—â—r sufferings must bee to abolish sinne 152. ¶ Reasons to enable us to suffer from men are because All is by Gods appointment We have deserved all of them All shall tend to our good 176. ¶ As too much sumptuousnesse so too much sluttishnesse is to bee avoyded 281. †Of the Sunnes darknesse at Christs passion 165. No naturall cause thereof 166. ¶ Of Christs sweat in the Garden the Cause Carriage Manner End 161. c. T IN worldly businesse our talke should bee of Christ 317. †Men abstaine from talking of God and goodnesse because they Contâ—â—â—â— GOD and desire to have as little to doe with him as may bee Are not watchfull over their waies Waâ—t love to their Brethren 318. He that hath once tasted of the goodnesse of Christ will not let him goe upon any termes 333. * All men under the taxe of Gods wrath 116. †Christ teacheth 〈◊〉 by his Word Sacraments 84. Christ found no where but in the Temple 141. * How men destroyes the Temple of God 481. Two times the Divell chiefly tempts a Christian at His entrance into grace His going out of the world 161. ¶ The stronger the temptations the earnester our prayers 161. ¶ Christ exerciseth his Church with trials and temptations to Set aworke their graces Pull downe spirituall pride Keepe them from sinne The great terrour and torment of the wicked when they shall be shut out from the presence of Christ 464. †Thankefulnesse due to Christ for our redemption 254. ¶ Thankefulnesse due to Christ that hath freed us from the curse 95. * The conversion of the theefe on the crosse 233. Why Christ suffered betweene two theeves 222. All men good and bad figured in the two theeves 240. ¶ Of Christ thirst on the crosse the naturall causes Long abstinence Exiâ—cation from losse of blood Extremitie of griefe 246. The morall causes of Christs thirst That wee might not thirst To fulfill a Scripture That wee might thirst for the Spirit of grace 247. The good thirst of a Christian 248. †Of Christs appearing to Thomas 347. There is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of Gods promises 113. Why Christ would not be touched 312. ¶ Reasons against transubstantiation 319. * Trials to know whether Christs will bee gone from us or no. 330. Christ sold for a trifle 183. †Christ the joy of the world a trouble to some 132. †Of the Trumpet sounding to judgement 426. Christ condemned for the Truth 196. †The Holy Ghost a Tutor to us 510. * V THe Veile of the Tempâ—rent to Make an entrance inâ—â— Heaven Abrogate the cereâ—â—iall Law Shew Christ had taâ—n away the separatioâ— betweene God and us Shew the veile of ignorance in the Law was â—â—ken away 270. How the Kingdome of Heaveâ— suffers violence 253. ¶ Christ did not passe througâ— the Virgin Mary as water through aâ—â—nduit pipe 105. †Christ conceived of a Virgin at he might Be free from siâ—â— Fulfill the propheâ—s of him Awaken the â—ld by the strangenes of â— birth 108. The Virgin Marie considered her Stocke of the Lineagâ— David Estate poore and meane 110. Vivification wherein it consist 504. †Actions done voluntarily inâ—bedience to God are most acceptable 265. ¶ Thomas's unbeleefe 348. W WEE ought to waitâ—atiently â—atiently for Christs commiâ— 140. †Weake brethren not to be disâ—ed 277. †Weaknesse of Faith see 〈◊〉 Christ yeelds to mans weakâ—esse though on unequall termes 251. ¶ The wicked sparing for goâ—â—ses prodigall for bad 182. †We must be content to suffeâ— the hands of wicked men 177. †The wicked hurt the Saiâ—by their Wrongs Sinnes 60 The wicked labour to geâ—â— of their troubles by bad meanes 133. ¶ The wickedsâ—dition â—dition worse than Nabuchadnezzarâ—mong â—mong the Oxen. 472. * The wicked liâ— fishes in the Sea live in the Church â—ut are neither seasoned by it nor taste the power thereof 567. * A terrour aâ—confusion to the wicked when they 〈◊〉 be separated from Christ to the Divâ—nd his angels 433. ¶ The wicked aâ—r the resurrection shall bee subject to â—â—ecessities of nature 644. The wicked 〈◊〉 bee shut out of the Earth at the end the world 465. The wicked 〈◊〉 bee shut out of Heaven at the presen◠〈◊〉 Christ 464. The wickedsâ—â—panions â—â—panions hereafter
their courses it will grieve Christ that ever he prayed in the mount sweat in the garden died on the crosse therefore seeing the end why Christ suffered is to bring us to God let us not disappoint him of it Thus much for the generall end Now the particular end is twofold 1. To reconcile unto God 2. To abolish sinne First to reconcile us to God and to make us at one with him so 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed and Ioh. 1. 14. Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world even as the Lambe in the Law tooke away sinne so doth Christ for in the Law when a lambe was to bee offered for the sinnes of the people they came and laid their hands upon the head thereof confessed their sinnes and so they were put upon the lambe which was killed and the man went free so Christ doth take away our sinnes which are laid upon him he is killed and we goe free therefore when the devill shall stand up at the day of judgement to accuse us and say we have sinned against God wee must not deny the matter for then we are cast and God may justly condemne us but wee must say it is true indeede Satan I have sinned against God I have done thus and thus against Him but I have had the Law for it I have answered it and although not in my selfe yet in Christ for he suffered and was killed for me and hath borne whatsoever God could require at my hands therefore seeing Christ hath satisfied thou canst not require any thing at my hands there is a rule in law that if a debt be paid they cannot require payment thereof againe therefore if we can prove payment of it by Christ it cannot be required of us againe Secondly Christ died to abolish Sinne for he did not onely die to reconcile us to God and beare that which wee should have borne but also to abolish and destroy Sinne therefore seeing Christ died to abolish it wee must take heed wee doe not strengthen sinne for if wee nourish it it will make all the death of Christ and his blood void to us when Ioshua destroyed Iericho Cursed saith he bee the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this Citie c. Iosh 6. 26. So seeing Christ hath suffered to abolish sinne cursed shall that man or that woman bee that buildeth it up againe therefore wee have great cause to weaken sinne and to decline it seeing hee had not suffered any thing but for it As 1 Sam. 25. 21. when David sent to Nabal a messenger and hee returned a churlish answer againe saith David Surely in vaine have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wildernesse c. so may Christ say if we live still in our sinnes and strengthen them in vaine have I suffered for them in vaine have I prayed and died on the crosse and therefore if wee live in our sinnes we make his death of none effect unto us Againe seeing Christ died to abolish sinne we must make this the end of our sufferings for that which was Christs end must be the end of our sufferings therefore doest thou suffer sicknesse losse of thy goods or other afflictions Let this be the end of thy sufferings to abolish sinne Afflictions are called Crosses because as wee know that crosses are to crucifie and kill men so every affliction must be as a crosse to crucifie and to kill sinne our vile affections and the immoderate lusts of our flesh many a man is contented to suffer afflictions but to what end to abolish sinne as Christ did no but for some by-respect of his owne we may not doe so for if we would have comfort in our sufferings that which was Christs end in his must be ours also Fifthly Of whom he suffered of God and of man this is a lesson for our learning not onely to suffer at the hands of God but also at the hands of men because this is part of our conformitie with Christ Ordinarily the people of God when they doe suffer of God doe not suffer of men and when they suffer of men doe not suffer of God but if it fall out so that we doe suffer both at the hands of God and men we should be quiet and contented with the good will of God and say as Eli did It is the Lord let him doe as it pleaseth him It is the corruption of the world that they can be contented to suffer at the hands of God but they cannot abide to suffer of men they are impatient when it is so and what men must wee suffer of the unjust the wicked men many can be contented to suffer at the hands of good men as David saith Let the righteous smite me Lord but we must be contented to suffer of the unjust men for Christ did not onely suffer at the hands of God but also of wicked men Now the sixth thing is What he suffered and here we have a double suffering for he suffered things 1. From God 2. From Men. The things he suffered from God were two First the cup of Malediction or of Gods curse tempered by our sinnes of which he drunke in the Garden Secondly Desertions on the Crosse the hiding of Gods favourable countenance from him wherein observe 1. How it wrought three afflictions in him 2. His carriage in that estate 3. The effects of it Secondly what he suffered from men in which foure things 1. Apprehension 2. Arraignement 3. Condemnation 4. Execution The first thing is the cup of Malediction which our sinnes tempered for him now see we what this bitter cup of Gods wrath which Christ did drinke wrought in him and here wee may consider these three Afflictions First Feare it is said Hee began to be afraid which was no ordinary or common feare but a dreadfull horrible feare such a feare as Moses had for which it is said of him Act. 7. 32. That hee trembled and durst not behold And such as David had when he said Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements so it was not an ordinary feare but an horrible and a dreadfull feare At other times he was so full of holy courage and of an undaunted Spirit that his Disciples wondered at it for when they told him that the Iewes did lye in wait to destroy him he did not feare it yet now he was horribly afraid what was the reason of it There were two things that made Christ so to feare First because he was to stand before God in judgement clothed and apparelled with our sins If he might have stood before God in his owne righteousnesse then there had beene no cause of feare but because hee was to stand