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
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
the light of Nature wee have the light of Gods grace it it a fearefull thing when a man shall sinne against his conscience though a man sinne of weaknesse and of infirmity yet let us take heed we sinne not against conscience for what a pitifull thing is it that a mans conscience shall say as the Lepers said O we doe not well that we doe so I doe not well to sin to sweare to prophane the Sabbaths I doe not well to nourish any sin to backbite my neighbours It is a fearefull thing to sin against conscience all other accusers one thing or other will stop them either bribes or favour or fiendship or intreatie or flattery but there is nothing that will stop the accusing of evill conscience neither bribes nor flattery nor friendship nor intreaty Revel 20. 12. conscience is compared to a booke that all things are written in when there is question about a debt come to the booke and that doth manifest the matter so there is a question whether thou hast sinned or not come to thy conscience and that will resolve thee all thy sins are written there although thou doe not see nor feele them yet at the Iudgement day when the booke shall bee opened then all shall bee manifest as if they were but new committed Secondly other accusers doe accuse us but certaine times either at Terme time or when anger is stirred but an accusing conscience will give them no peace at any time the worme of conscience wil torment a man at all times in the night and in the day when hee is in company and when he is alone Thirdly other accusers a man may flie from for if they be in one country hee may flie into another country but there is no man can flie from the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse a man flie from himselfe Augustine saith all other plagues a man may fly from from the famine from the envie of man from the pestilence he may flie but he can never from an evill conscience Man saith he get thee into thy chamber or into the secretest place that may bee and although thou shut the doore yet thou canst not shut out the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse thou shut up thy selfe If a man were in a close chamber full of small lights and there were in the same roome one great light though he should put out all the other and leave but this one yet that were sufficient to disclose and to lay open his shame so in the chamber of this world there be a number of lights if all should be put out and there be left this great light of a mans conscience this is sufficient to discover and to lay open a mans shame Thirdly The strange silence of Christ that answered nothing though Pilate did urge him and it did concerne his life therefore the more ready he should have been as one would have thought to defend himselfe for naturally men are ready to defend their lives as the Devill saith of Iob all that a man hath will hee give for his life But see Christ was silent which shewes how ready he was to lay downe his life for us and how willingly this was the reason why Christ was silent and said nothing here we may see the great love of Christ that whereas we should have lost our lives have perished in hell for ever hee was contented to lay downe his life for us Now Christ hath not laid downe his life onely that wee should lay downe our lives for him againe but that we should lay downe our sinnes he was willing to part with his life and wee are not willing to part with our sins for his sake Hester 6. when Ahashuerosh could not sleepe in the night time he cals to a servant to reade in the Chronicles and then found what Mordecai had done in preserving of his life and so makes this inquiry But what honour and dignity hath there been done to Mordecai for it So when a Christian cannot sleepe in his bed hee should be thinking how willing Christ was to lay down his life for him he should make this enquiry what honour and dignitie have I done unto Christ for it Augustine saith this is the reasoning betwixt Christ and us O man wilt thou make a change with me wilt thou forgoe thy sinnes and take my bloud take the merit of my death and I will take the punishment of thy sinnes Fourthly His protestation and confession that hee is the Sonne of God for when Pilate heard that he was afraid that God was ingaged against him and to oppose himselfe against God he was loth this it was that made him to stop and stay the reverence hee had to the name of Christ O that we Christians had this reverence to the name of God that it might stop and â—â—ay us in the course of sinne Pilate was stayed at the mention of the name of God but we heare of the name of God every day from day to day and yet it cannot stop us in the course of our sinnes we see Gen. 39. 9. that the reverent awe that Ioseph had of the name of God kept him from sinning against God so David Psal 21. 22. Because I kept the wayes of the Lord I did not wickedly against my God for all his lawes were before me and I did not cast his Commandements from me And so here Pilate an Heathen did reverence the name of God this it was that stopped him and made him stand so fast for Christ Fifthly The holy commination of Christ saith hee Hee that delivered mee to thee hath the greater sinne There is no man that can have his hand in the death of Christ but he must needs sinne This was it that made Pilate a Heathen man loth to condemne Christ be cause he should sinne against God This must teach us that when wee heare it is a sinne to sweare or lye not to doe it though it be to save a mans life Wee have heard it is a sinne to prophane the Sabbath to mispend the time wickedly and yet neverthelesse dare we goe on and doe it Surely Pilate shall rise up in judgement against us at the last day and condemne us for it We see 1 Sam. 14. 33. when Saul heard that the people had sinned in eating of blood hee laboured to stoppe and to stay them O that there were such affection in Christians to labour to stoppe others but especially themselves in the course of sin For it is Gods great mercie that any thing comes in the way to stoppe or stay us in the course of sinne whether it bee our conscience or the admonitions of our wives or any thing else The Philosophers say that the upper Heavens would set all the world together if they were not staid by the nether but whether that be true or no this is that there is such greedinesse in man to commit sinne that
18. 32. saith the lord I forgave thee thy debts because thou didst pray me And David Psal 120. 1. I called upon the Lord in the time of my trouble and hee heard me so Psal 11. I love the Lord because hee hath heard my voyce c. This is a great incouragement for a Christian man to pray unto God because prayer shall not want his due fruit but the Lord will heare him and make a supplie of his wants as shall be meet for his glory and our good Secondly to whom he made his promise to a poore penitent Theefe one that was a vile liver This is a sweet comfort and incouragement that Christ will promise heaven to a poore penitent sinner upon his repentance and put him in possession of it All the comforts and commodities in this life all pleasures and delights cannot doe it let the wantons set their minions before them the worldly man his goods the covetous man his money the hatefull man his reuenge and the proud man his fine apparell all these cannot doe it but upon repentance Christ promises heaven and puts us in possession of it nay the kings favour cannot doe it hee may put us in possession of lands and goods while we live here after death he cannot but repentance will put one in possession after death Thirdly what he promised he promised two things 1 Paradise 2 His owne companie First hee promised Paradise there were two Paradises spoken of in Scripture an earthly and an heavenly Paradise now it was not the earthly paradise for that was laid waste many thousands yeeres before Christ was borne but it was the heavenly Paradise of which Paul speaketh 2 Cor. 12. 2. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeeres 〈◊〉 whither in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth which was taken up into the third heavens Hence arise two points of instruction First wee may see what a goodly change a Christian makes at the time of death for all the while he liveth here he hangeth on the crosse as the theefe did in trouble and affliction in paines and in sicknesse but when death comes it sets an end of all it takes a man off the crosse it enters a man into heaven therefore a Christian hath no cause to bee afraid of death for if a man be prophane and live in his sinnes he hath cause to be afraid of death because it is an ugly gate to let him into hell but if hee be a man of repentance then death is onely a gate to let him into heaven therefore a Christian hath no cause to bee afraid of it If a King should promise one that if he would come unto him hee would bestow some great office or place upon him if there should bee at the palace gate an ugly and grisly Porter to let him in he would not cast his eye on the ugly porter but upon the Kings palace even so death is as this ugly and grisly porter to let a man into heaven let us not therefore looke upon the ugly face of death but upon heaven the place we are going to We see when Elias was taken up into heaven there came a firy chariot and horses of fire to fetch him and yet he was not afraid because it was the chariot and horses that should carry him to heaven So death though it came like a firy chariot and bring horses of fire with it yet let us not be afraid of it because it is the chariot and horses which shall carry us to heaven The second instruction is That a Christians estate is better than Adams was in the time of his innocencie for he had an earthly Paradise but a Christian shal have an heavenly Paradise therefore seeing we would be contented to take any paines to be put into possession of the earthly Paradise if it were possible how much more then should wee labour and take paines to be put into possession of the heavenly Paradise Secondly He promises him his company that he shall fare no worse than he fares and shall goe where he goes And this is a sweet comfort to a Christian that Christ hath made such a promise that he shall have his company as Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they which thou hast given mee be with me even where I am that they may behold my glory So Ioh. 14. 3. And if I goe and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there you may be also Therefore let a man labour to be joyned to Christ here in the use of good meanes in the kingdome of grace and he shall be joyned to him in the kingdome of glory he shall goe where Christ goes shall fare as Christ fares and shall bee where Christ is Fourthly The time when he promiseth Paradise and his company This day he would not deferre it for moneths and for yeares but This day Which may teach us that the soules of the faithfull when they die goe into heaven immediately the Papists say that there is a middle place that their soules must go to where they must stay a time til they be throughly purged from their sinnes but this errour is refuted in the example of the Theefe for when he died his soule went into Paradise immediately I but some object and say that this was a speciall priviledge of the theefe and to none other To this I answer that the same priviledge is to every faithfull man as we may see Luke 16. 22. when Lazarus was dead hee was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome into a place of rest and joy And the Rich-man when hee died was carried into hell a place of torment there are but these two places to goe to when a man is dead that the Scripture makes mention of there is no middle place when men die they goe either to Heaven or to Hell for we know that all men that die in the state of repentance goe to heaven they which die impenitent to hell and therefore it is a vaine thing to pray for them for their estates cannot be altered I but is there any hurt to pray for our dead friends I answer if thou knowest not I will tell thee what hurt there is by it it shewes thy infidelity and unbeleefe that thou doest not beleeve the Scriptures I but may I not speake of my dead friends would you have me say nothing of them If thou doest not know what to say of them say as Paul saith of the godly that they are asleepe in the Lord so we see what we may say of our friends that they be now asleepe in the Lord Or as Salomon saith that the remembrance of the just are blessed such an one is of holy remembrance such an one was an holy man The use of this point is seeing after death the godly goe
of Israel through the red sea and had drowned their enemies then they sung a song of thankes-giving for their deliverance Exod. 15. And so likewise Deborah and Barak Iudges 3. 1. when they had overcome Sisera sang a song of thankes-giving so also the holy people Revel 15. when they had passed through the glassy sea mingled with fire and were delivered out of trouble then they sang a song of thankes-giving to the Lord in like maner here Christ when he had conquered all our spirituall enemies death hell sinne and the devill sung this song on the crosse to the joy of the world It is finished Now is mans salvation accomplished and perfected As if he should say All this while it hath beene but a working out For this cause was I nine moneths in the wombe of the Virgin borne in a stable laid in a â—anger fasted forty dayes together prayed on the mount swet in the garden and did hang three houres together on the crosse in paines and torments but now I have finished and perfected mans salvation now it is at an end sinne is abolished death is destroyed hell is conquered the devill is subdued heaven is opened God is pacified and pleased this is that hee uttered in these words Now for the better understanding of them we are to consider three things 1. What he meant when he saith It is finished 2. The time when he saith It is finished 3. By what actions it was finished First what he meant when he saith It is finished The full meaning is not expressed in this place but it was some secret and close action that was in the minde and thought of Christ that he had an eye to the perfecting and fulfilling of Now what was that all these Scriptures shew us Luk 19. 10. The Sonne of man is come to seâ—ke and to save that which was lost Mat. 20. 28. The Sonne of man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life for the râ—nsome of many and Hebr. 9. 12. Neither by the blood of Goats and â—alves but by his owne blood entered he once into the holy place and obtained eternall salvation and redemption for us these were in the heart and minde of Christ therefore it is out of question that Christ by saying It is finished meant the finishing and perfecting of the great worke of mans Redemption which the Apostle intimates Hebr. 10. 14. With one oblation and offering hath bee consecrated for ever them that are sanctified Alluding to this very action of Christ so that by this saying of Christ It is finished is to bee understood the finishing and perfecting of mans salvation and redemption Now besides this consummation or finishing there is another consummation that is spoken of Gen. 2. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the â—ost of them which finishing is of the worke of Creation but what comfort could a manhave that God hath made the heavens to cover us and the earth to beare us sea and land to feede us the sunne and moone and the starres to give us light if Christ also had not finished and perfected mans salvation and redemption on the crosse There is also another consummation and finishing which is spoken of Revel 10. 7. That the mysterie of God shall be finished as he hath declared to his servants the Prophets Now what is this mysterie of God It is the end of the world But alas what availes it us for the world to have an end if this redemption and salvation be not finished and perfected by Christ therefore all other consummation is nothing without this for what is it to finish a great building or to finish ones estate in greatnesse or to finish all his dayes in joy and delights unlesse hee have finished his salvation and applied Christ unto himselfe This is the happiest consummation that is this is the joy and content of a Christian when he lyeth on his death-bed he can say Lord I thanke thee I know my salvation is finished in Christ I have applied him unto my selfe and I finde by the merit of his death and passion my salvation to be perfected Therefore into thy hands will I commend my spirit stedfastly beleeving that at the latter resurrection I shall enjoy the blessed presence of my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Happie yea thrice happy is the estate of such a man that shall thus depart in the Lord. The uses to be made hereof are these following First seeing our salvation and redemption is perfected and finished in Christ as the Apostle concludes Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to those that be in Christ Iesus Why because Christ hath answered the justice of God and hath beene condemned already therefore hee that is in Christ shall not be condemned As Esay 53. 5. It is said the chastisements of our peace is upon him and with his stripes we are healed and vers 6. All wee like sheepe have gone astray we have turned every one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquitie of us all Wee see Iohn 18. when the souldiers came to take Christ saith he If yee seeke for me let these goe let me suffer and let these goe free So Christ doth interpose himselfe to the Iustice of God and saith Father let my people goe free let me suffer that which they should suffer and beare that which they should beare Thus we see our salvation is made sure in the holy Person of Christ and there is no condemnation belongs to them who are in him therefore let us labor to be in Christ that wee may say with the Apostle The life which I live now in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God c. and then there is no condemnation belongs to us but life and salvation is sure because all is finished in the holy person of Christ Secondly seeing our salvation is perfected and finished in Christ all our care must be to apply and to lay hold on Christ for though hee hath purchased salvation for us yet if wee doe not apply him and lay hold on him we are never the better for it If a man should stand in the cold starke naked and one come by and see him who should show compassion to him and get clothes and put it to make for him how would this man carry his eye all the while to the workeman and when hee saw it all was finished would lay hold of it with both his hands and put it on his backe to cover his nakednesse so we ought to carrâ—e our eyes on Christ seeing salvation is wrought in the midst of us as the Psalmist saith therefore we ought to put forth both our hands and to lay hold on this salvation finished and perfected by Christ It is a strange corruption that many know it and heare of it that it is finished but they so attend their pleasures profits and
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
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
that he sends not all afflictions at once 169. †The three afflictions that Christ suffered 153. The behaviour of Christ in his afflictions 158. The effects of Christs afflictions 160. Christ was affraid To stand be fore God in Iudgemens clothed in our sinnes of death Not as a dissolution of Nature But as Gods curse 155. Christs agonie the cause of his sweat 161. All things made for mans benefit 71. How Christ shall bee All in all at the day of Iudgement 477. Almighty see God The amazement of Christ on the Crosse proceeded from Gods curse 157. Angels Ministers unto Christians 297. ¶ The Angels service to Of Christs anointing 78. Men. 430. Christ 122. ¶ What meant by anointing in the Law 16. Christ by being anointed was designed enabled made acceptable for the worke of redemption 78. With what By whom the end why Christ was anointed c. 81. The benefit of Christs anointing participation of His Graces the dignitie of his Person 89. We must anoint Christs Head Body and Feete with the Oyle of Devotion Compassion and Contrition 82. ¶ In the Law were anointed Prophets Priests Kings 83. No injurie must bee done to the Lords anointed 82. †Apocrypha see Scripture Of Christs appearing 305. Application of Christ to the heart better than Simeons holding him in his armes 141. †The wicked can doe no more than God hath appointed 213. ¶ 268. †Whatsoever betides a man is by Gods appointment 214. The Place Time Manner and Preparation of Christs apprehension 177. c. That apprehension of impenitent sinners worse than that of Christs in the Garden 186. * Comfortable words like Aqua-vitae 589. Christs armes his messengers 342. Christs arraignement frees us from arraignment and condemnation 194. * Of Christs ascension 353. The Necessity Time Place from whence Manner Fruits and benefits of Christs asscension from 353. to 365. Christ ascended to Prepare a place for us Send down the holy ghost Lead captivity captive Give gifts to his Church Make intercession for us 354 Difference betwixt Christs ascension and others 363. Christs ascension a pawne of ours 315. †Trials to know whether wee have ascended from sinne or no. 365. Of the great assembly to Iudgement 428. Gods assistance in troubles makes men confident 194. †B CHristians ought to beare with one another in Hiding the infirmities Excusing them Loving the partie 595. Christians ought to begin all their workes with prayer and thankesgiving 645. †Not to resist beginnings in sinne dangerous 181. ¶ Why the Shepheards went to Bethlehem 126. * By Christs binding we are loosed from the chaine of condemnation and corruption 188. Christs birth the greatest Ioy of the world 125. ¶ The Place 116. Time 113. Manner 117. of Christs birth The manifestation of Christs birth 120. Foure reasons of Christs meane birth 118. God bestowes on his Children blessing of this life and the life to come 581. The wise order God takes in giving us blessings 622. The communion of Saints an earthly blessings 581. In the blood of Christ that issued out of his side is something naturall and miraculous 268. Christs blood purifies us from the guilt and filth of sinne 269. The blood of Martyrs and Christ cry unto God for revenge and mercy 85. †Body see Resurrection As a Goldsmith melts gold to make a cup for the king so God melts our bodies to make vessels of honour for himselfe 637. ¶ The perfection of our bodies compared to a Shipmans needle touched with a Loadstone 641. * Our bodies spirituall because Vpheld by Subject to the spirit 642. Chris rose with the same body hee was crucified with 340. ¶ The power of a glorified body 643. What use of stomacke teeth c. in a glorified body 628. ¶ Christ saves not our soules onely but our bodies also 230. ¶ Two Bookes opened at the day of Iudgement 439. Christ borne when Herod was king Augustus taxed the world why 115 Christ borne in a base place to shew 10. the guilt of sinne 2. to procure us a better place 3. to make us content with any estate 116. ¶ Christ borne after the common and poorest manner 117 118. Christ was bonnd in regard of God To sanctifie the bonds of his servants To teach us the desert of sinne That we might bee loosed 187. Men for Paine and punishment Caution and securitie Shame and disgrace 186. Against the Papists giving the bread onely 334. * What meant by Christs breaking of bread with the Disciples that went to Emmaus 334. Christs breathing on the Disciples was a signe of giving the Holy Ghost 345. †Christ was buried To give us assurance of his death that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold to sanctifie and sweeten the grave for us that wee might have strength to bury him 273. Of the burning of the world 410. ¶ A Story of two Protestants in king Edward the sixths dayes touching burning for religion 277. †The burthen of sinne 158. * Every sinne addes to the burthen of Christ 159. * The benefit of Christs buriall 281. Foure waies to bury sinne to kill it hate the loathsome face of it remove it out of our sight and to rake moulds on it 282. C CHrist comes when a man is at his calling 122. †Calvins speech Dominus cum venit inveniet me laborantem 122. ¶ Moderation in worldly cares seeing God is our Father 55. What the word Catholike meanes 574. ¶ The Church said to be Catholike in respect of Place Persons and Time 575. c. The Papists beleeving in the Catholike Church absurd in religion and reason 578. * Reasons proving the Papists no true Catholikes 578. A twofold chaine on every naturall man of corruption sinne of condemnation and guilt of sinne 188. The wicked compared to chaffe 434. A great change and alteration after conversion 499. We must commit the seede of our charity into the bosome of the poore and hands of God 594. ¶ All chastisements came from God our loving Father and shall turne to our good 56 57. Gods Children why withheld from worldly blessings 580. Gods Children never totally finally forsaken of him proued by foure grounds 172. What Christ shall doe after the last Iudgement 475. see Iudgement The word Christ what it signifies 77. see Anointed Christ and Messiah all one 77. ¶ Christ the Sonne of God 90. Christ proved to be God from the Names Attributes Workes and Worship of God ascribed to him 91. Why Christ must bee both God and Mun. 92. ¶ Christ borne when Augustus Caesar taxed the world to fulfill a Prophesie to be under the taxe of Gods wrath for our sakes 116. * Christ the Head of the Church three proofes 542. The love and willingnesse of Christ to die for us 208. †Every little meanes is to bee laid hold of to bring us to Christ 131. ¶ Three things required in him that would be found in Christ 693. The infinite comfort after finding Christ 312. No condition can
Fourthly the end of their iourney Three motione or reasons to seeke Christ 1 Simile 2 3 Simile Fifthly what mooved the Wisemen to seeke Christ 4 Simile Vse 1. 1 Quest sol SER. XII Two discouragements of the wisemen in seeking Christ 1 Observe Simile Simile 1 2 Simile 1 2 Object Sol. Rom. 6. 13. 3 Simile First Hee was man Secondly a Devout man Luk. 2. 25. Thirdly he waited for the Consolation of Israel 2 1 Thirdly the effects of Simeons manifestation of Christ 1 Simile 3 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 2 4 Simile SER. XIII Quest Sol. ARTI III. First the necessity of Christs Sufferings 1 Necessitas Precii Simile 2 Necessitas exempli Secondly who it was that suffered Vse 1. Simile Quest. Sol. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Thirdly for whom be suffered Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Fourthly the â—nd why Christ suffered The generall end of his death 1 Object Sol. 2 Heb. 9. 12. 3 Simile The particular end of his death First to reconcile us Simile Plead against Satan Secondly to abolish sinne Simile Fifthly of whom Christ suffered Sixthly what Christ suffered 1 Affliction the curse of our sins wrought in Christ Two causes of Christs Feare 1 2 1 Causes of Feare Simile Simile 2 Cause of Christs Feare Simile Simile 2 Affliction of Christ. 1 Three causes of Christs Sorrow Vse 1. Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile 3 Affliction of Christ Vse 1. Simile SER. XIV Vse 2. Vse 3. Two reasons why sinne seemes so light 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Simile First what Christ Praied for Simile Simile Secondly the limitation of his Prayer Thirdly the effects of Christs Afflictions First the procuring Cause Sin Secondly the carriage of Christ Simile Simile 2 King 8. 29. First He did sweat Secondly blood Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. 3 Thicke bloud Heb. 12. 1. Iob 15. 16. 4 It ran thorow his garments Simile Simile 5 It ran on the ground Simile Simile The second thing Christ suffered from God on the Crosse 1 Sam 28. 15. The first cause 1 The manner of it Vse Simile Simile The second cause of it Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Simile Simile Simile 3 The end of the Darknesse Simile 2 The effect of Christs suffering on the Crosse 1 SER. XV. Simile Quest Sol. 2 3 Two times the devill tempts busily Simile 2 First what it is to be forsaken 1 Vse 2. Secondly how farre forth God forsaken 1 Simile The second desertion Simile How farre forth one may be forsaken in the life of grace Quest Sol. 1 Foure grounds proving that a Christian or a true beleever is neither totally nor finally forsaken of God 2 3 4 1 They fall in part Simile 2 He fals not finally Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile 3 Why God forsakes his people 4 How we should carry our selves being forsaken First mournefully Secondly patiently Simile Thirdly hâ—lily Simile Secondly what Christ suffered of men Three reasons to enable us to suffer from men 1 2 3 Simile Simile First the place where 2 Simile Simile 3 Simile Secondly the time when Thirdly the preparation for it Fourthly the meanes and manner Simile Simile SER. XVI The second thing what did moove Judas to betray Christ First the merchant Simile 2 The Chapman 3 The Ware sold 1 2 3 4 5 4 The Price Distinction of Shekels 1 2 3 The Manner 4 The Issue and event 1 2 Simile Simile Simile First in his taking two things 1 The Iewes obduration Secondly a meditation of the last Iudgement 1 2 3 Simile Simile 2 The binding of Christ three reasons of it in regard of mans intention First for paine and punishment Secondly for the more security Thirdly to put the more disgrace upon Him Secondly Hee was bound in regard of God for three causes 1 2 3 First the chaine of condemnation Simile Simile Secondly the chaine of corruption Simile Simile Thirdly Christs leading away 1 The Person 1 A Young man Simile 2 2 The declaration of his Love 1 2 1 2 3 3 The souldiers rage Matth. 7. 4 His escape Simile 1 SERM. XVII Before whom he was Arraigned Secondly the causes why Christ was arraigned 1 2 3 Iob 9. 20. Thirdly the manner of his arraignment Foure testimonies of Christs innocencie First his concealement Secondly his defence 2 3 4 1 2 Simile Simile First how often Pilate sought to deliver Christ. The first time 1 2 Simile 1 King 10. 8. The second time Proverbs The third time The fourth time 2 The meanes used to deliver Christ Quest 1. 2 Ans 1. Ans 2. 1 By speaking for Him Simile 2 By sending Him to Herod Simile Thirdly by ioyning Christ with Barabbas Simile Simile Fourthly by whipping of him Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Thirdly what made Pilate so stand for Christ. First his owne conscience Simile Simile Secondly the admonition of his wife First who sent the message Secondly when it was sent Thirdly the message Simile Fourthly the reason and cause SERM. XVIII Vse Simile 2 3 Simile 3 The strange silence of Christ Simile 4 Christs protestation 5 Christs Commination 4 What made Pilate to condemne Christ 1 The importunitie of the Iewes Simile Simile Simile 2 Feare to lose Caesars favour SERM. XIX The first thing Christ must die the death of the Crosse for foure reasons 1 Because it was onely accursed 2 Because it was a shamefulâ— death 3 Because it was one of the painefullest dâ—aths Reasons 4. 1 2 3 4 Vses 2. 1 2 Why Christ dyed not an ordinary death 4 1 2 The second point how Christ was led to bee crucified 1 In his owne garments Vse 1. Simile 2 2 They laid his Crosse upon him 1 2 3 Simile Iob. 6. 14. The third thing where Christ was crucified 1 Without the Gate Three Reasons why Christ suffered without the Gate 1 Simile Simile Simile 3 Simile Simile 2 In Golgotha SERM. XX 2 Simile Fourthly the manner of Christs crucifiing Matth. 27. 34. Mark 15. 25. Quest. Why Christ refused the bitter cup. 1 Sol. Division of Passion twofold Simile 2 Simile Fifthly the crucifying of Christ 1 2 3 4 5 Vse 1. Simile Simile Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Vse 5. Of the stripping of Christ Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Next crucified betwint two theeves 1 2 Five falsehoods of popish Crucifixes 1 2 3 4 5 Fiftly Christs Behaviour on the crosse Simile Simile The seven last words of Christ upon the crosse The first word of Christ on the crosse First for whom Christ prayed 1 Simile Simile Five Considerations to move us to love our enemies 2 Simile 3 Simile 4 Simile 5 Simile The second Lesson Quest. Sol. Simile Simile 2 What Christ prayes for 3 When hee prayed for them 1 Simile 2 1 Of Compassion 2 Of Extenuation SER. XXI 1 Occasion of the speech First a Morall Simile Secondly a Spirituall use Simile 2 The Speech it selfe 1 2 1 Object Sol. 2 3 Order of our Duty Simile 4 Simile Object Ans Simile Secondly the time when he spake Simile Heb. 11. 21.
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
hands of God upon a perswasion of the Fatherly care of God that God was his Father this made him bold to commend his soule into the hands of God and may teach us that all that commend their soules to God must commend them upon a good ground we must not commend them upon a merry conceit without a ground but wee must have a ground for it Now there bee three grounds upon which a man may comfortably commend himselfe to God First because he is the Father of Spirits and the God of all mens soules our bodies wee have mediately from our parents but our soules immediately from God therefore he is called the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. and Eccles. 12. it is said The soule goeth to God that gave it therefore seeing God gave them and made them wee may bee bold upon this ground to commend our spirits backe againe unto him for every workeman will preserve his owne worke therefore let us commend our soules to God as a faithfull Creator for seeing he made them he will preserve them if we will commit them to him Secondly a perswasion that God is our Father by the meanes of Christ if God be our Father we may be bold to commend our soules to him for with whom may one bee bold if a childe may not with his father therefore as hee is the Father of Christs so labour to make him thy Father and then mayst thou with comfort commend thy selfe into the hands of God Christ when hee would comfort his Disciples saith to them Tell my brethren I goe to my Father and to your Father to my God and 〈◊〉 your God when we can finde this that hee is not onely the Father of Christ but my Father we may be bold to commend out soules into his hands upon this ground Thirdly we may be bold to commend our soules to God upon the former experience we have had of Gods favour and mercy towards us this made David bold to commend himselfe to God Psal 31. 5. Into thy hands Lord I commend my spirit because thou hast redeemed my soule O Lord God of truth I have had experience of thy love and mercy therefore into thine hands I commend my spirit In like manner when we have experience of Gods goodnesse and mercy it makes us bold to commend our soules into the hands of God And these be the grounds for we must not doe it of nothing or of a meere conceit but of a good ground as Christ did so must we Fifthly What comfort we may have by the practises of Christ in commending his soule into the hands of God I answer we may have a two-fold comfort First as Christ did not commend his owne soule only into the hands of God but my soule thy soule and all the soules of the faithfull men in the world because all the soules of the faithfull are bound in a bundle with his therefore deposing and laying downe his soule in the hands of God all the soules of the faithfull are deposed and laid downe with it for as his body was a pawne and a pledge for our bodies so his soule is a pawne and a pledge for our soules therefore Athanasius saith well Our Lord Iesus when he did commend his soule into the hands of God he did not onely commend his owne soule but with it all the soules of the faithfull men in the world for as they die in Christs death and rise in his resurrection and ascend by his ascension so by his deposing and laying downe his soule into the hands of God hee doth with it commend all the soules of the faithfull men in the world which may be a great comfort to a Christian at all times that his soule is safely deposed in the hands of God when he dies Secondly seeing he laid downe his owne soule in the hands of God and with it our soules therefore when men die their soules doe not sleepe in their bodies nor wander about the graves nor passe up and downe in the world nor are in a place of torment as the Papists say but they be in the hands of God I think there is no man here but takes this speech to be a metaphor and borrowed speech for God hath no hands but by hands is meant that they are under Gods protection in safetie and securitie For as a man that hath a Iewell will not lay it down at his friends feet but he will put it into his hands for the more safetie so Christ hath put all the soules of the faithfull into the hands of God to bee kept in safetie till the resurrection and the last day of judgement Act. 5. Wee may see when the people had sold their possessions they laid downe their money at the Apostles feet but the soules of the faithfull servants of God are not laid downe at the feet of God but are put into the hands of God for more safety and securitie as Revel 1. it is said that Christ holds the seven Stars in his right hand to shew that he that puls away a preacher he must pull him out of the hands of God and so Ioh. 10. 29. saith Christ My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternall life and they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hands neither wicked man nor devill no power can plucke them out of my hands therefore it is a sweet comfort that when a Christian dies his soule goeth into the hands of God if it were in our owne keeping then it were subject to the temptations of the Devill and a number of troubles and much hurt but being in the hands of God they shall be kept from all danger all the powers in heaven and earth shall not be able to hurt them And thus wee have heard briefly and with a great deale of weaknesse the seven last Words of Christ expounded which he spake on the Crosse SERMON XXVI IOHN 19. 30. VVhen Jesus therefore had received the vineger he said It is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the ghost HAving spoken of the Crucifying of Christ now in the next place we are to speake of his Death for when he had hung three houres in paines and torments on the Crosse Hee bowed downe his head and gave up the ghost that is he died as wee doe his soule and bodie were parted Now in the Death of Christ there be divers things to be considered 1. Why it was needfull that Christ should die 2. The time when he died 3. The manner of his death 4. The manifestation of it 5. The power of it 6. The effects of it First Why it was needfull Christ should die of which there was three causes that made a necessitie of his death First To satisfie the justice of God for mans sinne for such was the hainousnesse of mans sinnes sentence being
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
Church by hiding of them The Papists demand of us where our Church was before Luthers dayes To this I answer the Lord did hide them in the wildernesse all the time of the rage of Antichrist Saint Hilarie saith Yee doe not well to love the wals of the Church and to make such accompt of the Temple know yee not that Antichrist shall fit in the Temple of God boasting himselfe as if he were God therefore saith hee looke not for the true Church of God in the Temples but looke for it in mines caves and secret places The third meanes whereby Christ defends his Church is Miraculously and wonderously so the Lord delivered the Church out of Egypt from Pharoah and so likewise The three children out of the Firie fornace and Daniel out of the Lions den and Peter out of Prison when hee should have beene brought out the next day to execution Yea the Lord doth not onely defend his Church wonderfully but also gratiously as 1 Sam. 13. 26. it was told to Saul that David was in the wildernesse of Maon presently Saul and his men followed him and Saul with his men were on the one side of the mountaine and David with his men were on the other side but there came a messenger to Saul saying Haste thee and come for the Philistines have invaded the land so David was delivered gratiously though it were not miraculous and wonderfull but by a rumour and report onely heere wee see though the Lord doe not deliver us miraculously and wonderfully yet hee doth gratiously in making our greatest and chiefest enemies friendly unto us and so gives us peace The fourth meanes whereby Christ doth defend and protect the Church is By giving them invincible courage to endure all that the world shall put upon them so although they bee slaine at the foote of the Lambe and the blood come downe at their heeles yet they goe away with a glorious conquest So Paul Rom. 8. saith For thy sake are wee killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neverthelesse in all these things wee are more than conquerours through him that hath loved us for through their Christian courage they carry away the conquest Revelation 12. 11. it is said But they overcame him by the blood of the Lambe and by the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives to the death Cyprian saith well God would let the world see that though Christians be slaine and trodden under foot for the Gospell and for the testimony of the truth yet they cannot overcome them because they bee not affraid to dye in the cause of Christ for as Christ by dying overcame death so all his members must overcome by dying Augustine makes this question whether the Tyrant doth overcome or the Christian in the eye of sense and reason one would thinke that the Tyrant hath the better because hee takes away life and blood but it is the Christian that doth overcome because the Tyrant aimes doth not somuch at the life or blood but he labours to take away God Christ the hope of heaven and to destroy Faith and Religion but the Tyrant though hee take away liberty or blood or life yet he cannot take away God nor Christ nor the hope of heaven nor the pardon of their sinnes from them therefore a Christian is the conquerour hee hath the better As wee see in nature a man comes to kill a serpent hee strikes at the serpent the serpent labours to fence his head because his life lyes in his head hee will take a wound any where before hee will take it there now as long as the serpent fences his head and keepes his life hee hath the better because the man fought to take away his life and yet he keepes it so when a Tyrant labors to take away Christ God and faith from a Christian yet as long as hee can keepe Christ and his graces it is sufficient because hee is the head and life lyes in him though hee bee wounded in his name or in his goods or his life taken from him yet a Christian hath the better I will further shew it you in an example of Scripture wee see that the Divell was as it were let loose on Iob hee tooke away his children and his goods and hee left him nothing but the stench of his teeth yet Iob had the better because the divell did labour to take away his faith and comfort in God which he could not and therefore seeing Iob did keepe this God sets the crowne on his head and hee goes away the conquerour so though sicknesse take away a mans health and usurers his money and theeves his goods and tyrants his life and blood yet as long as a man keepes God Christ his faith and hope of heaven he hath the better The fifth meanes is By destroying and confounding all their enemies for although it pleased God to use them for the chastening of his children yet at last hee will destroy them a father useth a rod to chasten his sonne for his amendment yet at last hee will destroy the rod so wee see Exod. 5. what grievous taskes were laid on the children of Israel by Pharoah to make them willing to depart the land the Lord was faine to doe as men doe by bees to smoke them out to make them leave their hives so the Lord did smoke them out of the place and at last Pharaoh the rod it selfe was drowned in the red sea so Dan. 8. wee see the Little horne which was the King of Macedonia hee did overcome for a time and tread under the people of God yet at last his horne was broken so also Revelation 12. The Beast that had seven heads and ten hornes that did labour to devoure the woman hee also shall goe to destruction and therefore let not Christians be discouraged and dismaied though they see the Church hath great enemies for God will defend and protect them against all their enemies if they walke worthy of the Gospell and labour to please God in all their courses these bee the foure actions whereby Christ doth rule and governe the Church which for your memories sake I will briefly recapitulate unto you First that hee doth draw and pull them out of the condemned multitude of the world and bring them to an estate of grace secondly hee doth guide and governe them by his Word and Spirit Thirdly he doth exercise them with divers temptations and trials Lastly hee doth protect and defend them against all their enemies The Vses wee are to make of Christs sitting at the right hand of God are first that seeing Christ sits in the highest place next to God therefore wee must labour to submit our selves unto him sinke downe at the feet of Christ and bee contented to bee ruled and guided by him but they that are ruled by their owne lusts and sinnes they doe as it were pull downe Christ
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.