AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED OR AN EXPLANATION OF THE ARTICLES OF OVR CHRISTIAN FAITH Delivered in many afternoone Sermons by that Reverend and worthy Divine Master Iohn Smith late Preacher of the Word at Clavering in Essex and sometime Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Oxford Now published for the benefit and behoofe of all good Christians together with an exact Table of all the chiefest Doctrines and Vses throughout the whole Booke Vprightnesse hath boldnesse HEB. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please Him for hee that commeth unto God must beleeve that Hee is and that Hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke Him AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Allot and are to bee sold at his shop at the signe of the blacke Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND NOBLE LORD EDWARD LORD MOVNTAGVE OF BOVGHTON Right Honorable THere hath beene both in former Ages of the Church and also in these latter times that zealous desire and endevour in many worthy Divines to advance true Religion and to benefit the church of God that they have not onely by their assiduous preaching in their life time wonne many soules to God but also have left divers monuments in writing whereby they being dead doe yet speake and the holy Doctrine by them taught is transmitted and propagated to posterity after them Amongst whom Mr. John Smith late Minister of Clavering in the Countie of Essex a man much reverenced for his Religion Learning Humilitie and Holinesse of life whilst he lived whose memorie is also very pretious with good men since his departure out of this life besides his indefatigable paines which he tooke in dispensing faithfully the Word of life did leave behinde him certaine Treatises in writing which in the judgement of some godly men were like to prove profitable to the Church but because they were left by him not perfectly digested into order as having no intention to present them to the publike view such was his Modestie and Humility therefore some of his friends at the intreatie of me and my wife the Relict of the said M. Iohn Smith her former deare husband having direction from us have taken great paines to gather them together to make them readie for the light which their industrie as it was very acceptable to us so we were very desirous that the fruit thereof might redound unto many and therefore did cause commit them to the Presse knowing that any good the more it is communicated the better it is And this Treatise containing the Summe of Faith being as it were a Christians free-hold for which he ought to contend â— anquam pro aris focis We thought it not unworthy to present unto your Honorable Patronage being an Orphan deprived of its owne Father hoping that by your Honours countenance and approbation it shall the better bee accepted of all true hearted Christians and I was the more imboldned hereunto because of your Honours zeale to true Religion Reverence the Word of God Love and bountie to the faithfull and deserving Preachers thereof Goodnesse towards all men Iustice and Equitie in the Common-wealths affaires and great Care of the good of your Countrie which is not onely experimentally knowne to me who am by many speciall Interests obliged to your Honor but also to all other in these parts who are so happy as to have continuall proofe thereof And though this poore Posthume is permitted to venter abroad naked as it were without those rich Robes Ornaments and quotations wherewith the Father if he had lived might plentifully have inriched it Yet I most humbly crave your Noble Protection for it and favorable censure of both the Worke and Publisher so shall your Lordships Noble favor herein yet further binde me Your Honors truely devoted and much obliged ANTHONY PALMER To the Christian Reader IT is availeable for the better entertainment of this worke to know something concerning the Author concerning the worke it selfe and concerning the Argument for the Author my acquaintance with him was especially towards the declining part of his yeeres at what time as they speake of the Sunne towards setting the light and influence which comes from worthy men is most mild and comfortable The gifts of men then perhaps are not so flourishing as in their younger time but yet more mature and what commeth from them is better digested In the prime of his yeares hee was trained up in S. Iohns Colledge in Oxford being there fellow of the House and for Piety and Parts esteemed highly in the University of those that excelled in both Afterwards he grew to that note that he was chosen to reade the lecture in Pauls succeeding therein that great lâ—â—ned man Doctor Andrewes late Lord Bishop of Winchester which he discharged not onely to the satisfaction but to the applause of the most judicious and learned hearers witnessed by their frequency and attention Not long after he was removed to a pastorall charge in Clavering in Essex where being fixed till his death hee shined as a starre in his proper spheare This good mans aime was to convey himselfe by all manner of wayes into the heart which made him willingly heard of all sorts for witty things onely as they are spoken to the braine so they rest in the braine and sinke no deeper but the heart which vaine and obnoxious men love not to bee touched that 's the marke a faithfull teacher aimes to hit But because the way to come to the heart is often to passe through the fancy therefore this godly man studied by lively representations to helpe mens faith by the fancy It was our Saviour Christs manner of teaching to expresse heavenly things in an earthly manner And it was the study of the wise man Salomon becomming a Preacher to finde out Pleasant words or words of delight but when all paines is taken by the man of God people will relish what is spoken according as their taste is It falleth out here as it doth in a garden wherein some walke for present delight some carry flowers away with them to refresh them for a time some as Bees gather honey which they feede on long afterwards some spider-like come to sucke that which may feede that malignant and venemous disposition that they bring with them There cannot be a better Character of a man than to observe what hee relisheth most in hearing for as men are so they taste so they judge so they speake Ezekiel besides Propheticall gifts fit for so high a calling had no doubt a delightfull manner of expression of himselfe whereupon the wickeder sort of Iewes engaged in sinfull courses came to heare him but as a Musitian to please their eares neglecting the authoritie of his Person and the weight of his message it s no wonder therefore if in these dayes people sticke in the barke and neglect the pith though sometimes it falleth out with some as with Augustine hearing
all would come to confusion if God should not restraine him 1 Sam. 25. 32. when David was in his heate hee thought to have killed Nabal and all his houshold but when hee met with Abigail and was come to himselfe Blessed be the Lord God of Israel saith hee which hath sent thee this day to meete mee And blessed bee thy advice and blessed bee thou which hast kept mee this day from comming to shed blood and from avenging my selfe with mine owne hand So when we be in our heate then we care not what we doe but if we once come to our selves then we can say O blessed be God for such a man and such a woman that kept me from sinning against him When Balaam went to curse the People of God for a bribe if the Asse had not spoken to him and made a stoppe the Angell of the Lord had killed him The Asse saw the danger but hee saw it not therefore the Lord gave Balaam cause to blesse God for his Asse even so if there bee any thing that stops us from committing sinne and though it be but an Asse we have cause to blesse God for it The fourth generall point that wee observed in Christs condemnation was What made Pilate to condemne Christ And that appeares to be 1. The importunitie of the Iewes 2. The feare of losing Caesars favour First the importunitie of the Iewes for the more hee pleaded for him the worse they were the more they cried out crucifie him crucifie him At last being wearied with their importunacie hee yeelds to them and condemneth him Here we may see what a wicked thing it is to yeeld to any bad thing for any importunitie whatsoever Adam yeeldeth to his wife and so brought death upon himselfe and his posteritie and was thrust out of Paradise So Sampson yeeldeth to Delilah and lost both his eyes If a man yeeld because hee would have rest he shall bee condemned for it If it bee good to stand out in the cause of Christ the first and the second time it is good to stand out to the end As if one be set to keepe away birds he cannot excuse himselfe to say the birds are busie and I cannot make them leave but the more busie the birds be the more busie he should be to suppresse them So the more wee be importuned to sinne aud the more busie the Divell is to tempt us the more busie we should be in Prayer and meditation to suppresse the temptations of the Divell It was Iosephs glory that notwithstanding his Mistris lay at him day by day yet he yeelded not to her So this shall be the glory of a Christian that notwithstanding ghee bee tempted to sinne from day to day hee yeelds not to it It is noted of Christ that when the Tempter ended the Angels came and ministred unto him So when wee have stood out in temptations and they be ended the Angels will come and minister to us a Cup of comfort or a Crowne of glory But Pilate because he stood not out in the cause of Christ as hee had begunne but yeelded lost all his glory therefore it is said in our Creede He suffered under Pontius Pilate which is a marke of disgrace unto him to the Worlds end The second thing that drew Pilate to condemne Christ was feare of losing Caesars favour for when the Iewes told him that if he let him goe hee was not Caesars friend this did so perplexe and amaze him that he sinnes against his conscience and inclines to the worser side Hee had good affections and stood out in the cause of Christ when all were against him but when it came to this that if he stood out still he should lose Caesars favor or else Gods favour He makes choyse of Caesars favour So it is with the world still so long as God and Caesar goe together so long as the world and religion goe together so long they hold but when it comes to this that they must lose Caesars favour or Gods favour they will leave God and choose Caesars favour But it is remarkable and worthy our observation that he that will make himselfe a friend to the world may have indeed Caesars favour for a time but he shall be sure to have God his enemie and then perhaps Caesar too as we may see in Pilate who laboured for Caesars favour and chose that before Gods favour yet through the just judgement of God he lost Caesars also for upon complaint made he was sent for and put from his Office banished the Land and so through griefe and vexation laying hands upon himselfe desperately killeth himselfe Let men take heed of this how they keepe mens favour and lose Gods for if it be so with them they may looke for Pilates judgement to have neither of them both because the doe not choose Gods favour above all SERMON XIX MATTH 27. 31. And after that they had mocked him they tooke the Robe off from him and put his owne raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him HAving spoken of the sufferings and condemnation of Christ in the next place we come to speake of his Crucifying wherein divers things are to bee considered 1. Why he must die the death of the Crosse 2. How he was led to be Crucified 3. The place where he was Crucified 4. The time and manner when 5. How Christ carried himselfe upon the Crosse First why of all other deaths He must die the cursed death of the Crosse for foure Reasons First because of all other deaths this was accursed by the Law of God none else was burning stoning dying by the sword or any other there is no curse annexed unto but to this one onely Cursed is every one that hangeth on tree Gal. 3. 13. Deut. 21. 23. So that he died not the least death but the worst that might be even the cursed death of the crosse and it was because he would take our curse upon him for by reason of our sins we deserved to be cursed both in life and death that we might be blessed in our deaths and freed of the curse hee was contented to take this same accursed death upon him Let us therefore never forget this great love of Christ to us yea remember what Saint Paul saith to Philemon concerning Onesimus If he oweth thee any thing set it on my skore I will satisfie thee for it So Christ doth ingage himselfe to God for us to take our curse on him that we may be blessed to die for us that we may live to be forsaken of God that wee may be received of God therefore let us never forget this love of Christ to us as Iohn 13. Saint Peter wonders at Christs humility Wilt thou wash my feet So we may much more wonder at the humility of Christ that he that was the Sonne of God higher than the Angels would die the cursed death
earth about it he doth shake the tree this way and that way as if hee would overthrow and pull it up yet all is but to settle it that it may stand the faster so the Lord doth when hee hath planted a man hee doth as it were pull at him and shake him as if hee would pull him up and yet the Lord doth it but to settle and ground him that hee should stand the faster and to make him the more constant and therefore the people of God have no cause to be discouraged with the dealing of God Now come we to speake of strong faith which doth ordinarily assure a man of salvation and of the pardon of sinnes unlesse it be in the time of temptation if therefore any man would know how he comes to this assurance and what the ground is that strong faith gathereth this assurance upon I answer that it gathereth it from the merits dignity of the death of Christ for Christ and the Crosse were our pledge and pawne looke what wee should have suffered that Christ hath suffered for us in our place and in our roome when all our sinnes were imputed to him therefore Christs sufferings were as much in acceptation with God as if wee should have suffered our selves so that wee are thereby discharged and acquitted Now from this ground strong faith doth draw assurance of Salvation and of the pardon of sinnes by looking backe into the merits of Christs death Indeed if wee looke into our selves and our sinnes wee can assure our selves of nothing but death hell and damnation but if we looke into the merit and dignitie of the death of Christ then faith assureth us of Salvation and pardon of sinnes The Papists say that a man cannot have assurance of the pardon of sinnes and assurance of Salvation here in this life for this openeth a window say they to all disorder and loosenesse of living But I answere that there be two kindes of assurance the first absolute the second conditionall first absolute assurance That whatsoever a man doth or howsoever a man liveth yet he shall be saved faith doth not assure a man of Salvation if he live in his sinnes and doe what he list or thinke good nay hee is like to perish if he doe so and he seales up his damnation and therefore it is not absolute assurance that we have by faith Conditionall assurance is that which the Gospell teaches that if we repent for our sinnes lay hold on Christ by faith if we beleeve then we may assure our selves that we shall be saved but if wee have no care to repent to beleeve nor to walke with God in newnesse of life then wee cannot be saved Therefore if men say they are sure of Salvation they must looke that they have a right ground If a man should demand of some to know how they should be saved and they answere because we have not committed many sinnes others because wee have done no harme to any body or because we heare the word of God Al this were nothing till one can ground himselfe on these two conditions to repent and beleeve and so to make a logicall discourse of Assurance to himselfe from this ground that God hath said in his word that whosoever repenteth and beleeveth shall bee saved but I upon the search of my Conscience doe finde that I have repented and doe beleeve therefore I shall be saved untill a man I say can make this discourse he cannot be assured of his Salvation but when men have the assurance of Salvation from this ground and can make such a discourse unto themselves it is not all the divels in hell that can plucke away this assurance from them This is a goodly comfort that a man can assure himselfe that hee shall be saved and that he is beloved of God howsoever he be poore ficke afflicted and troubled here in this life yet he can be perswaded that one day he shall fit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heaven and death must be the gate to let us in If a man should go a long and tedious journey and in the way should meete with many inconveniences yet if he knew hee should be kindly entertained at his journies end this would comfort him so wee all are walking as it were a long journey here in the wildernesse of this world where although we meet with many discomforts and troubles yet let us comfort our selves with this that one day it will be blessed and happy with us when we come at home at our journies end then Christ wil gird himselfe and serve us and all the holy Patriarkes and Prophets will be ready to entertaine us This is it that may comfort us so Iob was comforted in the time of his trouble Iob 19. 23. I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth and howsoever I have trouble here yet one day I shall see God so David Psal. 27. 13. I should have fainted but that I beleeved to see the goodnesse of God in the land of the living I should have fainted but that for the hope of heaven and of glory which upheld me so Rom. 8. 36. where the Apostle saith that the people of God were killed and as sheepe appointed to the slaughter saith he yet in all these things we are more than Conquerors for all these troubles they rejoyced and hoped in God exceedingly So he burst out into this speech in a holy triumph and saith there I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now strong faith you see is not so strong but that in time of temptation it may bee shrewdly shaken for as a strong man may catch a cold and by dis-dieting make himselfe that he cannot be able to walke with a staffe so a man may as it were catch a cold and dis-diet himselfe by his sinnes make himselfe weake So David was confident in one part Psal 31. 14. But I trusted in the Lord I said thou art my God and in another place of the same Psalme he saith I am cast out of thy sight so Iob in one place was confident in peace and rejoycing in God yet Chapter 17. he cryeth out Where is my hope for though I hope yet the grave shall be my house and I will make my bed in the darke I shall say unto Corruption thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother and my sister where is now my hope So we see strong faith is not so strong but that it may be shrewdly shaken as ye have heard Now some man may say If a man may lose the feeling and comfort of his assurance of Salvation in the time of temptation what Comfort in this case can he have I answer a man may have comfort considering these foure things First That
doe not see it Secondly though a Christian fall yet he fals not finally he shall not be forsaken for ever it is but for a little time as Esay 54. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee in a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting kindnesse have I had compassion on thee So in another place it is said Though heavinesse endures for a night yet joy commeth in the morning I have shewed you heretofore that it is with a Christian as with a man in a swound bring a man then to the fire rub and chafe him and put a little Aqua-vitae in his mouth if there be any life in him he will recover againe So it is with a Christian in his fals if he be brought to the meanes to the Word preached to prayer or to the use of the Sacraments if there be the life of grace in him he will recover againe so then God doth not forsake a Christian finally The Vses are First seeing God doth not forsake totally and finally wee may see what a comfortable estate it is to be a true Christian hee may have assurance that God will not forsake him for ever this is an excellent priviledge and prerogative that a Beleever hath his friends and kindred may forsake him but God will never therefore such a man may say by himselfe privately Lord I thanke thee although my friends and my kindred have forsaken mee yet thou hast not on thee I will rely and put my whole confidence in thee for thou hast promised that whilest I trust in thee thou never wilt forsake mee And this is a sweet comfort that a Christian may have a servant may be forsaken of his master as the Amalekite was 1 Sam. 30. 13. and a childe may be forsaken of his mother as Moses was Exod. 2. 3. a husband may forsake his wife one friend another but God will never forsake them that be his servants Secondly seeing God doth not forsake his finally nor totally let us labour to be one of his servants and then we have an evidence that God will not leave us not forsake us a father may forsake his childe a master his servant a land-lord may cast off his tenants but God will not forsake them that doe depend upon him if wee be his servants then wee have an evidence to shew whereby we may assure our selves when all else leave us yet God will not forsake us Thirdly seeing God will not forsake us finally and totally it is a shame for us to forsake him the childe hath greater cause not to forsake the mother than the mother hath to forsake the childe for the childe cannot live without the mother but it is like to starve and perish but the mother can live without the childe so we have greater cause not to forsake God than he hath to forsake us wee cannot live without him and he can be glorified though we were in hell Therefore seeing God hath not forsaken us it is a shame for us to forsake him The third thing is To know what the cause is that God forsakes his people To answer briefly It is for sinne Why is sinne such a great matter that it will make God forsake his creatures I answer it is sinne and nothing but sinne let a mans estate be what it will be never so rich or poore if hee doe not repent his sinnes but live in them and commit them from day to day it will cause God to forsake him therefore art thou poore or rich doe not sinne against God and live in it without repentance for it will make God to depart from thee For looke what was the cause that God did forsake his owne Sonne the same will make him forsake thee Now sin was the impelling cause that made God forsake his Son for when he found our sinne upon him by imputation he forsooke him awhile therefore consider with thy selfe if God would not spare sin but punish it upon his owne Sonne though it were but imputed to him then it is sure if he finde sinne upon thee he will forsake thee if thou repent not for it for if God spared not the Angels when they had sinned neither spared his owne Sonne when he found our sinnes imputed unto him surely he will not spare thee unlesse thou repent howsoever thou do not find it in time of health and peace yet when the day of death or the day of judgment commeth thou shalt see thy selfe forsaken of God O that the wicked would consider this that if they live in their sinnes and doe not repent God wil forsake them It was sinne that made God depart away from his Temple and from his own house as Ezek. 8. 6. saith God Sonne of man seest thou not what they doe even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here to cause me to depart from my Sanctuarie So we see that sinne made God to forsake his owne house and the place that he had appointed for his owne glory if wee provoke him by our sinnes he will depart from us unlesse we repent Fourthly How a Christian should cary himselfe when he finds himselfe to be forsaken of God This may we see in the famous and memorable example of Christ for looke how Christ carried himselfe when he was in shew forsaken of God so should we carry our selves when we likewise finde our selves forsaken of him Now Christ carried himselfe 1. Mournefully for he did in that bitternesse come to God 2. Patiently he did not murmure or grudge against God 3. Holily First he carrieth himselfe mournefully he did bitterly complaine to God when he saw himselfe to be forsaken Now as Christ carried himselfe mournefully when he saw himselfe to be forsaken of God so wee should mourne and bitterly complaine to â—od when we see our selves forsaken of him as 1 Sam. 7. 2. wee see the people of Israel lamented after the Arke twenty yeeres together all the while being without it so we should weepe and lament many daies together so long as we finde our selves forsaken of God Ioh. 20. when Mary had lost Christ shee seekes for him and standeth weeping by his Sepulcher saith Christ to her Woman why weepest thou to which she answered they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him I have good cause to weepe they have taken him away or I have lost him in whom I have laid up all my hope comfort and joy so a Christian man or woman may say when he findes himselfe forsaken of God I have good cause to weepe and mourne many a-day together for I have lost Christ hee is departed from me in whom all my joy and comfort was laid up Secondly Christ did carry himselfe patiently he did not murmure and grudge against God for as a learned man saith these
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
therefore Christ did first appeare to her I will shew you six particulars wherein Mary did shew her love to Christ First that she continued seeking when others Peter and Iohn gave over Secondly in that she wept and mourned for the losse of Christ when others went away without mourning and weeping We see in nature if one comes to a birds-nest and take away her young ones the bird will flie about the nest take on and in some sort bewaile the losse of her young but the Devill may come and catch away the graces of Christ repentance faith patience the comfortable feeling of Gods favour with the hope of heaven and yet thou never weepest for the losse of these therefore it is a good thing when a man hath lost these graces if he can bewaile them It is said of Ioseph and Mary when they had lost Christ they sought him with heavie hearts even so when a man hath lost the comfortable feeling of Gods favour and the graces of Christ he seekes for them and doth weepe in regard of the losse of them this is a true note of true love to Christ Thirdly in that shee bowed downe into the Sepulchre and looked here and there if by any meanes shee could finde Christ Of these wee have spoken alreadie now to proceed Fourthly Her true love to Christ is seene by the continuance of her complaint For notwithstanding she had seene the comfortable sight of Angels the one sitting at the head the other at the feet of the Sepulchre shewing that they were not onely ready to attend the head but also to minister to the meanest of the members of Christ who gave her comfortable speeches asking why shee wept as if they should say to her Indeed if Christ should lye still trampled and trodden under-foot of death if thy sinnes were yet upon him and held him under there might be cause for it but Christ hath risen from the dead and hath vanquished and overcome Death Hell and the Devill and therefore thou hast no cause to weepe yet for all this sight she had seene and for all those good speeches the Angels could not give her comfort till she had the thing shee sought for So if a man have true love to Christ it is not all the Angels can give him comfort till he finde Christ and feele the comfortable assurance of the pardon of his sins and the hope of Gods favour nothing will make him glad till then as Mary complaines to the Angels and sayes They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him in whom I have laid up all my joy and comfort all my hope and all my delight so a Christian may complaine and say My sinnes have taken away Christ from me they have taken away the comfortable feeling of Gods favour the hope of heaven We marvell that the good speeches that Preachers and good Christians give to a man in distresse doe not comfort him but it is no marvell for the Angels cannot doe it till a man be possessed with Christ therefore no marvell that good Preachers and good Christians cannot give them comfort it is a pitifull thing that a number when they have lost Christ every little matter will comfort them they need not have Angels sent from heaven for a few angels of gold will doe it Fifthly The divulgation of her complaint shee complaines to the Angels and she complaines to Christ thinking he had beene the Gardener she was not ashamed that hee should know that the cause of her heavinesse sorrow and weeping was for Christ this is a certaine note of true love to Christ when we are not ashamed to let the world know or see that the cause of our sorrow and heavinesse is because wee have lost Christ by our sins and the comfortable feeling of Gods favor So in the Canticles when the Church had lost Christ she runs thorow the streets and lanes to see whether she could finde him she was not ashamed to let the world know that the matter of her griefe and sorrow was because she had lost Christ so afterwards she layes out for Christ If yee meet my love tell him that I am sicke of love shee was not ashamed to let the world know that she was sicke of love so when it is thus with a man that hee is not ashamed to let the world know and see that the matter of his sorrow and griege is because he hath lost the comfortable feeling of the pardon of his sins and of Gods favour this is a note of true love to Christ Hebr. 2. 11. it is said that he was not ashamed to call them brethren therefore if he be not ashamed of us let us never be ashamed of him Indeed there is good cause why he should bee ashamed of us there is such a deale of corruption and sin in us therefore he might be ashamed of us especially when hee shall stand before God in judgement Now if Christ bee not ashamed of us let us never be ashamed of him for if we be ashamed of him before men he will be ashamed of us before God and all the holy Angels The sixth note of true love which she bare to Christ was the strange proffer she made to Christ Tell mee saith she where thou hast laid him and I will take him away if he be never so deepe if it be never so far I am contented to take any paines to have him this is a strange proffer which she makes beyond her power and abilitie her weake armes were not able to carry Christ but herein she shewes her true love to him so when a man is contented to take any paines or labour to goe thorow it be it never so farre if he can finde Christ is contented this is a note of true love to Christ for Luke 7. 37. our Saviour saith that where the dead bodies be thither the Eagles will resort As the Eagles when they sent a dead body they will flie many a mile to it so we should like the Eagles get a sent of the dead body of Christ and be contented to goe many miles take any paines and labour that we might have Christ Ioh. 21. when the Disciples were a fishing Christ came and appeared to them upon which discovery Peter launches into the water the ship could not hold him but he leapes into the sea to come to Christ so when we know that Christ is to be found in the use of good meanes in the preaching of the Word nothing should keepe us from thence Mary was content beyond her strength and ability to seeke Christ so we should shew our love to him above our strength and abilitie as 2 Cor. 8. it is said of the Macedonians that to their power and beyond their power they were willing And as he sayes Psa 119. Thou hast commanded me to keep thy Precepts diligently O that my heart were
function this same binding and loosing is a Metaphor or borrowed speech taken from a man that is fast bound in fetters and chaines so as he is not able to stirre till he bee unloosed so every man by nature is bound in fetters and chaines with his sins and cannot be loosed till God sends true Preachers to loose them as we may see when Lazarus was in the Grave though hee had life in him yet he was not able to come forth being bound with his Napkins and cloths till hee was unbound so when the Philistines had taken Sampson they bound him and laid fetters and chaines upon him In like manner the Divell doth lay spirituall fetters and chaines upon us so as we are not able to stir in the life of holinesse till the Lord send Preachers to us to unloose us Therefore as a man that is in fetters and chains when the Iaylor comes to knocke off his chaines and fetters though he be never so much pinched and pained yet he will hold still and take it in good part because he shall bee freed and set at liberty so when the Preachers come to breake off our gives and chaines though it bee more painefull than before yet we must take it in good part because we shall be set at liberty by it Now two waies a Minister may forgive sinnes First By pronouncing forgivenesse of sinnes to such as doe repent and beleeve as the Priests in the old Law did pronounce those that were made cleane to bee cleane so a Minister when hee sees a man throughly washed and purified by the teares of true repentance may without feare absolve that man from all his sinnes and iniquities But how can this be may some man say seeing it is God onely that doth forgive sinne I answer There bee two Courts there is the Court of Heaven and there is the Court of this World In the Court of Heaven none but God can forgive but in the Court of this World a Minister may forgive upon the true confession that a man may make and the hearty repentance he may see in him he neede not feare to pronounce unto him the forgivenesse of his sinnes Secondly By way of authoritie not as the Papists do but when in distres of conscience hee sees cause to charge the party to beleeve the remission of sinnes as having just title to Heaven manifested in his good life and holy conversation amongst men though at that time God suffer him for triall to want the sense and feeling of his faith in Iesus Christ SERMON XXXVI IOHN 20. 24 25. But Thomas one of the twelve called Didymus was not with them when Jesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him Wee have seene the Lord. But hee said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my finger into the print of the nailes and thrust my hand into his side I will not beleeve FIve severall times Christ did appeare the same day that hee did rise from the Dead and this is the sixth time of his appearing and it was eight dayes after when Thomas was present for when Christ did appeare to his Disciples Thomas was away therefore when the Disciples saw Thomas they told him They had seene the Lord Thomas answers them Except I see in his hands the print of the nailes and put my hands into his side I will not beleeve Therefore Christ in compassion comes eight daies after and suffers him to put his hands into his side and bade him that he should not be faithlesse but faithfull Now in this appearance there bee foure things to bee considered 1. The Occasion of Christs appearing 2. The Time of it 3. The Manner of it 4. The Effects and fruits of it The Occasion was To heale the infidelitie of all his Disciples for hee had now but one that did remaine in infidelitie therefore hee comes to cure that one Here we see the tender care of Christ that having but one Disciple that did remaine in unbeleefe yet could not be at rest till hee had cured that one so we see the care of Christ doth not onely extend in generall to al his Disciples but also in particular to everie one which is a sweete comfort to a Christian that the care of Christ is not onely in generall for the good of the Church but in particular for every one so that if there bee but one weake and fraile member Christ hath a care of that one It is said Iohn 10. 3. that The good shepheard calleth his owne sheepe by name Hee doth not onely know the grosse summe and keepe the whole tale of them but he knowes every particular one If there be but one man or woman that doth belong to him Christ hath a care of him as wee see in that parable Luke 15. Of a man that had an hundred sheepe whereof when one of them goes astray hee leaves the ninetie and nine and goes and seekes for that one sheepe If there bee but one weake and fraile member Christ will have a care of that one for he himselfe saith Iohn 9. 18. Of them that thou hast given me I have not lost one so that if wee can once bring our selves to be members of Christ he will regard and have a care of us This is an excellent comfort to Gods people for as Numb 12. 15. When Miriam was shut out of the Host for her sinne the Lord would not let the Arke remove till she was recovered and brought in againe so if there be but one gone astray God will never rest till he have it home againe Therefore as Saint Paul saith boldly where hee doth apply Christ unto himselfe particularly Galath 2. 20. Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved me and given himselfe for me for when Christ was on the crosse he did not onely eye the generall good of the Church but in particular England Essex Clavering and so of every particular man and woman which may comfort us howsoever wee may erre and goe astray yet if wee belong to Christ there will bee a time when Christ will have a care of us and bring us backe againe to God for there was but one Disciple that did remaine in infidelitie and Christ had a care of that But let us enquire what were the causes that Thomas remained in unbeleefe there be two causes expressed in the Text. First Because hee was away when Christ came hee remaines in his unbeleefe here wee see what a losse it is to bee absent from holy meetings for thoughg it be but once for Thomas was but once away yet he lost the sight of Christ if he had beene present with the rest of the Disciples then it is like as they did beleeve hee would have beleeved for they were
therefore let every man so attend to the things of this life as that he may labor for everlasting life which is the blessing of all blessings I but is everlasting life so great a blessing seeing the wicked shall bee raised to everlasting life I answer that the wicked shall bee raised up to everlasting life which life shall bee a continuall death to them for looke in what extremitie any man is in when hee is a dying grieving and groaning as though his Spirit were departing in the like extremitie shall all the wicked bee in dying and never dye breathing out their last breath and yet never breathing it out If a man for an offence should be adjudged to lye in such a hot furnace as was prepared for the three Children by Nebuchadnezzar but two yeeres hee would thinke he were better die a thousand deaths than to lye in such extremitie But what is temporarie fire to Hell fire It is nothing comparable to it what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God nothing there is no death to the death of the wicked and no torment like the torment of Hell for their death is continuall If a man were put to his choyce no doubt hee would die a thousand deaths temporary before hee would dye that death For though the deaths of mens devising bee terrible yet they are nothing compared to the death and punishments that God can devise for the wicked And yet wee see how men labor to avoid to flie temporarie death they will runne ride take physicke endure any paines to shunne it which is but a flea biting as it were if compared which eternall death and never feare never labor to shun this latter which is the most wofull of all other We see how afraid men bee of the plague so as they will labour by all meanes to avoide it which yet brings but temporarie death how much more afraid should wee bee of sinne because that is the cause of eternall death Here wee see the madnesse of the world which labours to avoid temporarie death and yet will not strive to avoid sinne which brings eternall But let us pray to God to avoid sinne that so wee may avoid eternall death for the wicked shall rise no to live eternally but to dye eternally nay their life shall bee worse than death if any thing can be worse but it is otherwise with the people of God they shall rise to everlasting life for hee bestowes that of none but his people and Church Now here wee are to consider two things 1. What it is that God doth promise 2. The Continuance of it First hee promiseth to his People Life now Life is two-fold 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall First the Naturall life is upheld by the use of meate drinke and physicke wherein both the good and bad have their part for this is proper to both but that is not the life that our christian faith here speakes of For to speake exactly it is but the way to life whereof Christ speakes Matth. 5. 25. Agree with thy adversarie quickly whilest thou art in the way with him c. where Christ shewes that this life is but the way to everlasting life Therefore it must bee every mans wisedome to passe this life so here as that hee may make it the way to everlasting life Now our spirituall life is upheld by having Communion with God for as the soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule because as the body cannot have life but by Communion with the soule so the soule cannot live unlesse it have Communion with God Which life is spoken of Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shew mee the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And Iohn 5. 40. Christ sayes But yee will not come unto mee that ye may have life And this is the life which Christ promiseth here for it is nothing to live the life of nature to eate drinke and sleepe which doth but nourish the body and never looke to the life of grace but the speciall care of a Christian must bee for that a number of men thinke if they can live the life of nature they care not for living the spirituall life for faith or repentance or to live holily here the speciall thing I say which we should looke to is to live hereafter We finde Gen. 17. 18. Abraham saith unto God Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight so this should bee the request wee should make to God Oh that I may live the life of the Spirit indeed I live a naturall life but I desire to live the life of grace so David Psal 119. 175. saith Let my soule live and it shall praise thee my body liveth and I goe up and down with it but let my soule live and then I shall praise thee which is the blessing of all blessings to have Communion with God to draw neere to him and bee acquainted with him by prayer repentance and amendment of life Now there are two degrees of spirituall life 1. The Life of Grace 2. The Life of Glorie First in that the soule hath Communion with God by faith which Communion is many times darkened and eclipsed by sinne when yet in the interim it hath many a glimpse of it as the Sunne being under a cloude is kept from our sight that we cannot see it untill it breakes out so it is our sinnes which hinders this sweet Communion that is betweene God and the soule As it is with the light and the eye as long as the eye is well it dare boldly looke on the light but if it catch a blow or an hurt it must have somewhat to hang before it because the light offends it So it is between God and the soule as long as it stands in good termes with God so long it dare with boldnesse come unto God but if once it catch a blow have a hurt and a wound it is afraid to come before God This is the life of Grace Now the Life of Glorie is to live in the blessed presence of God in the Kingdome of Heaven where the sweet face of God shall shine on us and where wee shall have the Company of the Angells and Holy Spirits But this is the order First wee must live the life of grace and then the life of Glorie and therefore every man must acquaint himselfe with God by Prayer and in repenting for his sinnes that so we may looke to have Communion with him in the life to come but if we doe not acquaint our selves to prayer and in the use of holy meanes then we are as strangers to him and must not looke to have Communion with him in the life of Glorie But to inlarge my selfe further in the point of Eternall Life let us consider of it a little more
What be the priviledges of the Church First what the Church of God is wee are not to thinke it a materiall Church composed of lime and stone an Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 11. 18. but the Church of God is the company of the faithfull ones and the Elect people of God they be the members of Christs Augustine saith that the Church of God consists of Men and Angels but we beleeve that the redeemed onely be of the Church of God as Eph. 5. 27. saith hee Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that hee might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word So then the Church of god is the company of redeemed ones such as be sanctified and it may bee defined after this manner The Church of God is a companie of people called out of the condemned multitude of the World to blessednesse and happinesse by the meanes of Christ Whence wee observe foure things appertaining to the nature of the Church First it is a company of holy People for there is no body either mysticall or naturall but hath many members as Paul speakes Rom. 12. 5. So the Church of God doth not consist of one but of many members It is true it began in one In Adam but the Church of God is like a tree that hath one roote but spreadeth into many branches and boughes so the Church of God beganne in Adam as a roote and from him spreadeth to all his posterity that be elect and within the covenant of grace Thus Matth. 16. where Christ saith Goe tell the Church the Papists change the note and say Goe tell the Pope but the Pope is not the Church of God because he is but one for the Church of God is a company of people that consists of many members Secondly It is a company of people called all the true members are called to partake of the graces of Christ they are called to faith repentance and sanct fication therefore Saint Paul in all his epistles termes the faithfull the Called of God as Rom. 1. 7. To all you that bee at Rome beloved of God called to be the Saints and 1. Cor. 1. 16. Brethren you see your calling so 2 Tim. 1. 9. saith he who hath saved us and called us with one holy calling So then all the true members are called this is a speciall note and marke of them The uses are First seeing that all the true members are called therefore wee must take heed we doe not despise this voyce and call of God seeing he calls us by the voyce of his Gospell and Spirit to bring us to salvation and to an estate of grace that so we might be saved Abraham Gen. 12. was called out of his countrey and from his kindred and hee obeyed God and did follow him why now God doth not call us out of our countrey nor from our kindred we may enjoy them still but hee calls us out of sin out of blindnesse and ignorance therefore doe not thou despise the Call of God nor resist it We see Matth. 20. of the Laborers that were called into the Vineyard some were called in the first houre some in the scond and some in the third fourth and last houre marke saith Augustine hee that was called in the first houre did not put off till the second houre and he that was called in the fourth houre did not put it off till the last so when God calls us we should be ready to obey the call of God As Acts 26. 19. Paul speaking of his Calling to king Agrippa saith Therefore O king I was not disobedient unto the Heavenly vision so seeing God doth call us from day to day by his Gospell let us take heed wee doe not despise it but bee obedient to it Secondly seeing all the true members are called therefore every man must labour to finde this holy calling in himselfe that hee hath beene brought out of sinnes to an estate of grace and that hee is one of Gods people Saint Paul confesses of himselfe 1 Tim. 1. 12 13. I was a blasphemer and a persecutor but Lord I thanke thee thou didst shew mercy to mee I am now called so every man must labour to finde this calling in himselfe I was such and such a one I was a swearer and a drunkard and a bad liver but now it is otherwise with mee now I am Called and have repented for it Thirdly The Church of God is a company of people called out of the condemned multitude of this World for every man naturally is the childe of wrath Ephes 2. 3. saith he Wee are by nature the Children of wrath as well as others and verse 5. Even wee which were dead by sinnes hath hee quickned so the people of God are called out of the condemned multitude of this world as Lot was called out of Sodom by the Angell was haled and pulled out or else he would have perished in Sodom so wee should all perish in our sinnes with hundreds and thousands in this World but that it pleaseth God to call a number out to be saved The use is First seeing the Church of God is called out of the condemned multitude of this world to bee saved therefore wee may see the heavy estate every man stands in before he is called that he is no better than in a damnable and cursed estate how ever hee may in time bee one of Gods elect beloved of God yet for the present estate he is one of the condemned of the world O that wee had our eyes open that wee might see the heavy estate we be in till we bee brought to faith and repentance and to an estate of grace We read 2 King 6. 20. that Elisha did lead the Aramites into the mid'st of Samaria and then prayed to the Lord to open their eyes and presently they saw they were in the mid'st of their enemies so if God should open our eyes we should see that we were in the mid'st of hell and in the clawes of the devils our mortall enemies Secondly seeing the people of God are called out of the condemned multitude of this world whereas they might have perished eternally what cause have men to bee thankefull to God that finde this in themselves whereas they might have beene damned for ever it hath pleased God to call them to the estate of grace to faith to repentance that so they might be saved therefore as Mephibosheth saith to David 2 Sam. 19. 28. When all my Fathers house were but as dead men before my Lord the King yet did'st thou set thy servant among them that did eate meate at thy table so we may say to God I and my fathers house were but dead men before thee and yet notwithstanding it hath pleased thee to bring us to an estate of grace and to feed us in thine owne house whereas we
might have perished with the world therefore what cause have wee to be thankefull to God for so great a mercy The fourth thing that was observed in the parts of the Church is that they are called out of the condemned multitude of the world to blessednesse and happinesse to bee saved by Christ so Saint Paul saith in this place And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved there is all the harme the Lord means us to save and to bring us to blessednesse and happinesse therefore every man must take heed hee doth not despise this holy Calling when the Lord invites him to repentance faith and to an estate of grace We see Mark 10. 9. when Christ cals the blinde man he flung away his cloake and got upon his legges and followed him so it should bee the care of every one when Christ cals him to fling away his sinnes and corruptions and make all hast to follow him for if the blinde man did follow him for the curing of his body much more should we for the curing of both soule and body First therefore let us take heed we doe not despisse this Call of God seeing all the harme he meanes us is to save us Secondly seeing Christ cals us to enjoy blessednesse and happinesse and to live in communion with him therefore there is no damned man that can be a member of Christ it is true indeed that the wicked may live in the Church as bad humors be in the body but they are no parts of the body the Scripture is cleere for it as 1 Iob. 2. 19. they went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would have continued with us but they went out that it might bee made manifest that they were not all of us as if he had said if they had communion of grace and of the Spirit with us then they would have continued but because they had not therefore they went away The Papists say that a damned man may be a member of Christ but wee see it otherwise Col. 2. 19. saith the Apostle and not holding the head from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increasing of God and Austine saith that there is no damned man can bee a true member of Christ because Christ is the Saviour of the body therefore let us labour to bee members of Christs body and then wee shall be saved but if we be not then wee are like to perish although wee should be the greatest Princes in the world but if we be true members of Iesus Christ then we doe beleeve that one day we shall bee blessed and happie whatsoever our estate be here therefore if there bee but one or two saved in a towne let us labour to be one of them if men should suffer Shipwrack and there should bee a boat found that would hold no more than tenne every one would labour to be one of the tenne so wee all have suffered shipwracke by the sin of Adam in the sea of this world now to save us the Lord hath given us a little boate which is his Church that whosoever can get into it shall be saved therefore if there bee but two in a country or one in a towne that is saved wee must labour to bee one of the number SERMON LX. ACTS 2. 47. And the Lord added to the Church from day to day such as should be saved A Good hearer is like to dry powder that every little sparke of fire will make it kindle but wet powder must bee often touched before it will take so the unfitter that men be to heare and unprepared the more paines it is to the speaker to worke affection in them Wee shewed you the last day that the faith of a Christian consists in two things in God and the Church of God and that the Church of God is a company of people called out of the damned multitude of this world whom God will eternally save with his owne selfe Whence these considerations offered themselves unto us first What the Church of God is in his owne Nature which wee did then dispatch secondly What bee the parts or the divers estates of the Church of God here in this world whereof wee are to speake at this present The Church considered according to its parts is twofold 1. The triumphant 2. The militant Church The Church triumphant is that which is blessed and happy with God in heaven so called because it is not in conflict and combate as we be warring against sinne lusts the devill and the world but having overcome all are now blessed in heaven Hereof the Apostle speakes Heb. 12. 22. but yee are come to the mount Sion and to the Citty of the living God the Celesticall Ierusalem to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first borne whose names are written in heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect so Col. 1. 20. saith he For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and having made peace by the blood of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himselfe c. It is an opinion in the Greeke Church that the Saints are nor glorified in heaven till the judgement day but this opinion of theirs is false for it is first against the Scripture and secondly against reason First It is against the Scripture as Eccles 12. 7. Dust returnes to dust and the Soule returnes to God that gave it now this must needs be spoken of the blessed presence of God that the soule goes to in regard of power for God was present with it before so Luk. 23. 45. Christ said to the Theefe This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise marke saith Saint Augustine Christ doth not delay the Theefe but even from this woodden crosse he is translated into his heavenly kingdome so Paul speakes Phil. 1. 23. desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ and not onely speakes he this of himselfe but also of all the faithfull people of God as 2 Cor. 5. 8. Neverthelesse we are bold and be willing rather to remove out of the body and to dwell with God thus it is cleare by the Scripture that the soules of the beleeving and faithfull goe to heaven immediately to glory So then the Greeke opinion is false it cannot be denied but that some Scriptures seeme to looke this way as that Matth. 20. 6. when the evening was come every one had his penny they received their hire so that Col. 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Now these Scriptures and the like are to be understood of the glory of the body or else of the declaration of the glory that soule and body