communicate his graces Simile Simile Simile 1 Christ armes them Simile Vse 1. For Ministers 2 Simile Vse 2. For the people 1 Vse 2. Secondly their commission to what end they were sent 1 2 3 Thirdly the ability Christ gives them First what he gives Secondly how he gives the holy Ghost Simile 1 2 4 The authoritie he gave them Simile Simile Simile How a Minister forgives sinnes two waies 1 2 SERMON XXXVI 1 The occasion of Christs appearing First the cause of Thomas's unbeleefe Simile The second cause of the unbeleefe of Thomas Secondly the time when Christ appeared Two reasons why Christ appeared the eighth day Simile 3 The manner how Christ appeared Why Christ appeared thus 1 2 1 Whether there be wounds in a glorified body 2 Fourthly the effect of Christs appearing SERM. XXXVII Why it was needfull that Christ should Ascend ARTI VI. Simile Simile Five Reasons why Christ ascended 1 Simile Simile Simile 2 Why Christ Ascended Simile Simile Simile Vse Simile 3 Cause why Christ ascended Iudg. 16. 3. Simile Object Sol. 4 To fill the Church with spirituâ—ll gifts Simile Vse 5 To make intercession for us Simile Quest How Christ makes intercession for us 1 Reall Prayer what Simile The first way of his Intercession 2 Simile Simile Secondly the time when Christ ascended 1 2 3 Thirdly the place where hee ascended 1 2 Fourthly the manner of his Ascension 1 Object Sol. 2 Simile Quest. Sol. Simile SERM. XXXVIII Differences betwixt the Ascension of Christ and others 1 2 4 5 Two reasons why Christ ascended to heaven leasurely 1 2 Simile Thirdly the maner Vse Fifthly the benefit we receive by Christs ascension 1 How to know whether wee ascend or not 1 Triall Simile 2 Triall Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Simile Vse 3. 2 Gifts of Christs Ascension Vse 4. Vses of Comfort 1 Incouragement against the Crosse The second use of Comfort Simile The third Vse Simile Simile Simile Simile SERMON XXXIX 1 First what is meant by Gods Right hand Three severall acceptions of right hand in Scripture 1 The second acception The third sense How Christ is said to sit at the Right hand of God The first meaning The second meaning 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile Simile Thirdly why Christ is said to sit and not to stand at Gods right hand 1 Simile 2 3 Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Fourthly to what end Christ sits at Gods right hand 1 Simile The second end what it is He doth draw people to himselfe Simile Simile Meanes of drawing Simile Vse Simile Vse 2. Object Sol. Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile 2 Being drawne hee governs them Simile â—imile 3 he exercises of he Church with divers tentations Simile Simile Three Causes why Christ exercises the Church with divers temptations 1 Iob 1. 3. Reason 2. Simile Reason 3. Simile Act. 4. Five meanes whereby Christ doth protect his Church 1 Simile Simile Simile Simile The second meanes The fourth meanes Simile The fifth means Simile Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Simile SER. XLI Iob 19. 1 That there shall bee a judgement day Divers Judgements 1 2 3 Three Reasons of the Iudgement day Reason 1. Reason 2. The third Reason Simile Foure proofes that there shall be a Generall judgement The second Proofe The third Proofe Simile The fourth Proofe Vse 1. Simile Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile Vse 4. Simile SER. XLII Secondly who shall be the Judge Two things needfull in a Iudge First knowledge 2 Power Object Sol. Simile Vse 1. Simile Three things required to bee found in Christ 1 2 Simile 3 Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile 1 Simile Vse 1. Simile Simile SERMON XLIII Simile Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Vse 4 The time of the iudgement Simile 1 Conclusion The certainty of the last iudgement proved 1 By Scripture 2 By Reason ARTI VII Vseâ—â— Vse 2. Simile The second conclusion Simile Two causes why Christ gives signes of his comming 1 Simile Simile Simile 2 2 Consequents 1 Simile 2 Two signes to come 2 Three causes why the Iudgement is delayed 1 2 3 Simile Simile Object Sol. 5 The Person that shall bee judged Simile Simile SER. XLIV Simile Simile Simile Simile Sixthly the manner of the iudgement 1 Quest Sol. Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Simile Simile Quest. Sol. Simile Simile Quest Sol. Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile Simile SERM. XLV Simile Simile Heavens how new 1 2 3 The Earth shall be new in foure Regards 1 2 3 4 Quest. Sol. Three Causes why the earth shall be renewed First in regard of Christ Simile Secondly in regard of the Godly Quest. Sol. 2 Simile 3 In regard of the wicked Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile 1 Cor. 2. 9 1 King 10. 7. Matth. 25. 34. 41. SERMON XLVI The third Act in the manner of the last judgement First why so called Simile Secondly what this signe is 1 Opinion 2 Opinion 3 Opinion 4 Opinion Two Reasons why by the signe of the Sonne of Man is not meant the Crosse 1 2 3 The signe of the Sonne of Man what it is Differences of Christ and Moses glory 1 2 3 4 Thirdly the effects of the Sonne of mans comming 1 Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile First Hee shall come in glory Simile Simile â—imile Simile Secondly wherein this glory consists Simile Secondly this glory consists in the brightnesse of his body Thirdly in the eminencie of his Soveraigne power Christ hath two keyes 1 Vse 1. Simile Simile Vse 2. Simile SERMON XLVII Vse 3. 1 Who shall sound the Trumpet Simile 2 What shall bee the power of the sound 1 3 To what end the sound shall be Simile Simile Quest. Sol. Simile The great gathering of all First who shall be gathered Quest. Sol. Simile Simile Secondly by whom they shall egathered First the Angels serve us living Secondly at our death they serve us Thirdly at the day of iudgement Thirdly to whom we shall be gathered 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile As a gathering of all so there shall be a separation of all Simile First there shall be a separation Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Simile Simile 2 The time of the separation Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Thirdly the Persons that shall be separated Properties of Sheepe 1 2 3 4 5 Three rankes of men 1 2 3 Foure properties of the Goates 1 2 3 4 SERMON XLVIII First that there shall be a conviction 2 Simile Vse Simile Simile Simile Simile 2 The meanes of their conviction Simile Two bookes opened at the day of Judgement First the booke of Gods remembrance Secondly the booke of Conscience No exception against thâ—se bookes Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile 3 The parties convicted Simile The fourth effect of Conviction Simile Why the weight of sinne is no more felt SERMON XLIX Simile 2 The qualitie of the sentence Simile Simile Simile Simile 2 The Order of it Divers opinions 1 2 3
wayes first because he is able to doe whatsoever hee will his power is as large as his will as Esai 46. 10. My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoever I will and Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that hee should lye nor as the sonne of man that hee should repent hath hee said it and shall hee not doe it hath hee spoken it and shall hee not accomplish it So wee see God hath power to doe whatsoever hee willeth many times wee will a thing and wee have no power to doe it but whatsoever the Lord willeth hee hath power to doe it his power is as large as his will And therefore as the Leper said to Christ in Matth. 8. 2. If thou wilt thou canst make mee cleane so wee may say in our paines Lord if thou wilt thou canst give mee ease in my paines Lord if thou wilt thou canst give me health in sicknesse prosperity in adversity and in the times of my distresse comfort Secondly God is said to bee Almighty because hee is able to doe whatsoever in Nature is possible to bee done if there bee any power that can doe any thing for us God is able to doe it as Matth. 3. 9. It is said God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham and 2 Cor. 9. 8. God is able to make all grace to abound â—â—wards you that ye having alwayes sufficiently in all things may abound in every good worke therefore if there bee any thing possible in Nature to bee done God hath power to do it much more if we want any thing God by his power can make a supply of it if wee desire any thing God can helpe us wee need seeke no further he hath power in himselfe to helpe us In the second booke of the Kings 1. 6. Is it not saith Elâ—as to the King becausâ— there is no God in Israel that thou sendest to Baalzebub the God of Ekron therefore thou shalt not come downe from thy bed but thou shalt die â—o wee may say to them that seeke to witches and wizards for helpe is it not because there is no power in God to helpe thee that thou usest such base untoward shiftes to bring enterprizes to passe Therefore seeing there is power in God to doe any thing that is possible in Nature to bee done why doe wee not seeke to him in our wants why doe wee not relie upon his power Thirdly God is said to bee Almighty because the whole fulnesse of power is in God In the creatures there is but part of power yea in the most noblest creatures that bee but in God is all power so we â—ee fire can warme us but it cannot feede us because there is but a part of power meate can feed us but it cannot helpe us against diseases so likewise Physick cannot helpe us when death commeth the reason is because there is but a part of power in these Now in God is the whole power therefore God can make supplie unto us whatsoever our wants be Therefore it is the madnesse of the world to trust to their money to their goods to their worldly friends in which things there is but a part of power the whole fulnesse being in God what is there but hee hath what doe we want but hee can supply it And therefore let us all goe and rely on the fulnesse of power that is in God Fourthly God is said to bee Almighty because all the power of the creatures is in God or from him for by him we live move and have our being and breathing And therefore that a man goes stirres moves or does any thing he hath this power from God So Paul Acts 17. 28. For in him wee live and move and have our being The Philosophers say that the second cause cannot worke but by the power of the first cause As in a clocke if there bee a stand in the great wheeles there must needes be a stand in the little ones also because these doe depend on the great wheeles so if there bee a stand in God there must needs bee a stand in the creatures because they all depend on him for all the power we have to stand and move is from God therefore when we sinne against Him we turne the same power we have from God against him The Apostle Paul saith Shall wee take the members of Christ and make them the members of a Harlot God forbid so we may say shall we take the power wee have from God and turne it against him God forbid it is an heavy thing so to doe Therefore seeing all the power of the creatures is from God there is no enemy that can lift up a hand or a foote against us to doe us hurt but from the power they have from God As our Saviour saith to Herod Ioh. 19. 11. Thou couldst have no pwoer at all against mee except it were given thee from above And it is said Revel 9. 14. Loose the foure Angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates And the foure Angels were loosed Thus we may see that all adversary powers are not able to stirre or moove against us but by the power they have from God If one should see a Lion or a Beare chained and in the hand of his father he would not be afraid of them so seeing there bee a number of wicked spirits in vilde men that be like Lions and Beares yet are they chained and in the hands of our father wee need not bee afraid of them for they have no power to doe us any hurt but by the power they have from God But some man may say and object is there power in God to doe any thing There bee some things that God cannot doe How then is God Almighty As Tit. 1. 2. It is said that God cannot lye nor hee cannot deny himselfe And 2 Tim. 2. 13. Hee is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe so also God cannot dye Here then wee may see that there bee some things that God cannot doe I answer indeed God cannot doe these things for these things imply weaknesse and not power for why doe men deny themselves or why doe men lie because of weaknesse or why doe men die and have no power to withstand it if God should doe those things hee should destroy his owne nature for it is against the nature of God to lye or to deny himselfe God cannot doe any thing that implyes weaknesse God cannot doe any thing that destroyes his owne nature Secondly God cannot make the Creature God because the Creature is not capable of it it being a finite thing with bounds and limits therefore not capable of an infinitenesse now the want of power in this case is not in God but the defect is in the Creature as let a man take foure pottles of wine and put it into a pottle glasse the glasse is not able to receive it
c. Now penall infirmities and such as are voide of sinne hee tooke whereof there be two sorts First some that hee common to all the sonnes of Adam as to be hungry thirsty naked cold hot and such like secondly there be personall infirmities which arise upon particular causes as to have divers diseases now hee tooke not these infirmities upon him for hee tooke not any mans person upon him but the nature of man yea he tooke them that bee common to the whole nature of man And why did he take upon him these infirmities for three causes as the Schoolemen say First for satisfaction sake that he might satisfie for our sinnes for he that must satisfie for them must take the whole punishment for sinne therefore he tooke our infirmities upon him as we see in Matth. 8. 17. Hee tooke our infirmities upon him and bare our sicknesses Secondly to strengthen faith in the incarnation that wee might know hee was a perfect man because hee was subject to all our infirmities to eate sleepe bee weary and such like for if hee had not taken these infirmities was might have doubted whether he had beene man or no therefore he tooke our infirmities upon him that we might beleeve he was a man touching his Incarnation Thirdly for our example that as hee was subject to hunger thirst and nakednesse so we should be contented with it also for 1 Pet. 2. 21. it is written Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps c. Now besides these three reasons of the Schoolemen there is another reason Heb. 2. 17. why hee tooke our infirmities upon him there the Apostle saith Wherefore in all things it became him to bee made like unto his brethren that he might bee a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things concerning God this was the reason why he tooke our infirmities upon him that he might be the more compassionate towards us Let a man come to one that is on his sick bed if he hath had the same disease he will be more compassionate and pitifull than twenty others so seeing Christ tooke our infirmities hee will have the more compassion towards us therefore as the Apostle saith Heb. 4. 14. Seeing then wee have not such an high priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne let us therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace c. Now the next thing that was observed were the reasons why he was made man and that in three respects First for necessities sake for hee must have something to offer as the price of sinne so Heb. 8. 4. For hee were not a Priest if hee were on the earth seeing there are priests that according to the Law offer gifts therefore hee that doth redeeme us and bring us unto Gods favour must have something to offer to God as a price for sinne but the Godhead could not be offered for that cannot dye and therefore of necessity Hee must bee man Secondly in regard of the equity of it for the same nature that had offended must be punished because it could not stand with Iustice to punish sin in another nature which had not offended therefore of necessity he must bee man for the same nature that had sinned must be punished Thirdly in regard of the fitnesse for he that is the Mediator and doth reconcile God and man together must be God to deale with God and man to deale with man The Philosophers say that to bring two extremes together it must be done by middle things so Christ must be betweene both the must be God to deale with God and man to deale with man so that he must be man in regard of the fitnesse of it Hee must be God also a fit Vmpire to lay his hand upon both Thirdly the speciall ends why he must take mans nature upon him are five in number First to redeeme man for in the same nature the devill had destroyed man in the same nature must he destroy the worke of the devill so Heb. 2. 14. For asmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood hee also himselfe tooke part of the same that he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the devill and deliver them who for feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage It is a pretty saying of the councell of Ephesus even as a cunning workeman doth not only great matters in gold silver and precious stones but can also take a peece of clay and make such a peece of worke that may make the world to wonder at it so this cunning workeman Christ is not onely able to the doe great workes in gold and precious stones in his Godhead but even in a peece of clay with mans nature he can destroy the workes of the divell Secondly to restore the lost Image of God in man for Adam had lost it by his sinne and therefore he tooke mans nature to bring it to the former estate againe Saith Athanasius if a picture be defaced and hath lost its former beauty there is no way to restore it againe but to get the party that the picture was first drawne by to renew it so saith he when man had defaced the Image of God in him there was no way to have it restored againe but by bringing Christ into the world from whence this nature of man was drawne upon him Thirdly to advance mans nature which was so disgraced by sinne for mans nature was hatefull to God even as a toade is to us therefore seeing mans nature was in disgrace with God hee tooke our nature to advance it againe If a towne or a city be in disgrace with the king if he come againe into it abide and rest in it thereby it is advanced againe so when mans nature was in disgrace by the reason of sinne Christ came into mans nature and this did advance it againe Fourthly to make mans Nature dreadfull to the divell for Christ having overcome the devill in Mans nature this made his Nature terrible to him even as a fish when he is nibling at the baite and spieth the bare hooke is afraid to meddle with the baite after or as a man putting his hand into a hole if he pull out a toade will bee afraid to put his hand in againe so the devill having beene overcome by mans nature is afraid of it againe not because he thinkes hee shall meete with Christ for he knowes he is in heaven but because hee knowes hee shall meete or is afraid that hee shall meete with the power of Christ Fifthly that his incarnation might be as a glasse wherein we may see the infinite Goodnesse justice wisedome and power of God First wee may see the infinite goodnesse of God that when wee were lost by sinne
that God the Creator should have suffered but one houre We see in nature that a wound at the heart although it be but with a little pin is more dangerous than a great cut in the thigh arme or any other place so it is a greater matter that Christ should have suffered than if all the creatures should have suffered So that the sufferings of Christ are more than sufficient to redeeme us for it is the dignity of the person that giveth a merit and efficacie to the sufferings by this that hath been said is made manifest that no man need doubt but that the sufferings of Christ is more worth than all the bodies and soules of men in the world But here may a question be moved how the death of Christ which was but temporary should be sufficient to redeemeus seeing we should have suffered eternally I answer it was the dignity of his person that gave power and efficacie to it for it was more that God should suffer even a little than if all the men of the world had suffered for ever Secondly seeing it was God that suffered this doth shew the grievousnesse of our sinnes that when we have sinned we have done that which all the powers in heaven and in earth cannot satisfie neither Angels nor Archangels but it must be the bloud of the Sonne of God saith Augustine O man doe but consider by the greatnesse of the price the greatnesse of thy sinnes we see what a slight matter we make of sinne when we have sworne an oath or told alye yet when wee have done so we have done that that all the Angels in heaven cannot make expiation and satisfaction for but onely the Sonne of God must doe it and that with his owne bloud therefore doe not thou sell that for a toy or a trifle that cost so great price Thirdly seeing it was God that suffered wee must not thinke much that we suffer for our sins for if God would have spared any he would have spared his owne Sonne one would thinke but he would not spare him though there was no inherent or reall sinne in him but a shadow onely and the imputation of sinne upon him therefore how shall hee spare us that have sinne inherent and reall in us we thinke much when our teeth or backe ake or any other part of us whereas wee deserve to be pained in all our parts if God suffered we must not thinke much to suffer for our sinnes for in mans reason if he would have spared any he would have spared his owne Sonne Matth. 20. saith our Saviour They will reverence my Son And Luk. 23. 34. he saith If they doe this to the greene tree what will they doe to the dry tree He was a greene tree full of goodnesse and full of grace we be but dry trees no goodnesse nor no grace in us If he suffered such things what shall become of us So Rom. 11. 21. For if God spared not the naturall branches take heed also lest hee spare not thee Therefore if Christ suffered we must not thinke much to suffer Thirdly For whom he suffered Saint Peter saith the just for the unjust And Rom. 5. 8. the Apostle saith But God commendeth his love to us seeing that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for us So then Christ died for us in our place and roome The Vses are First seeing Christ suffered in our roome and place therefore this must teach us that whatsoever befell Christ at his sufferings the same might justly have fallen upon us for Christ he tooke the guilt of our sinnes upon him suffered in our roome and place therefore whatsoever befell him the same should have befallen us as he was arraigned and condemned at Pilates barre so wee should have beene before Gods tribunall as he was condemned of Pilate so we should have beene condemned of God as he was accused of the Iewes so we should have been by the Devill as he was carried out of the Citie to the place of execution so we should have beene carried to hell as he was hanged on the Crosse so we should have been tormented in hell for ever as darknesse was over his face so we should have had our faces overwhelmed with darknesse for ever Alas we thinke much to suffer a little paine in our heads backes or teeth c. but what is this to that which Christ suffered for us we have our houses to rest in but it is said that the Sonne of man hath not a place to rest his head in He died in the fields wee have our soft beds he amongst his enemies we amongst our friends Christ was a hungry and thirsted we have our tables filled he was in want and we have plenty therefore consider with thy selfe what great things befell Christ the same should have befallen thee whatsoever extremitie in soule or in body came to him the same nay worse had not he redeemed thee would have vexed thee Secondly seeing Christ suffered in our roome and place this therefore should teach us to accuse our selves because wee be the cause of Christs sufferings for it is our sinnes that caused a crowne of thornes to be set on his head that nailed him to the crosse that thrust the speare into his sides did crucifie him So Esa 53. 16. it is said That the chastisements of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Therefore as Gen. 35. 18. Rachel named her son Ben-oni the sonne of her sorrow because he was borne with the death of his mother so Christ may call us â—â—nnes of his sorrow because we be all borne with his death There be many that complaine of the souldiers of Pilate of Iudas and of the Iewes but we ought rather to complaine of our selves our sinnes and the vile life we live in therefore let us doe as Ioseph of Arimathea did goe to the crosse of Christ as hee pulled the spickes out of his hands and his feet so should wee in a spirituall manner goe to the crosse of Christ looke upon his body and say O blessed Lord this is the head that my sinnes have crowned with a crowne of thornes these be the hands that my sins have pierced these be the feet that my sinnes have nailed this is the face which my sinnes caused to be spit upon this is the backe which I caused to be whipped and these be the sides that I caused to be wounded with a speare thus we should complaine of our selves and weepe day and night in that we were the cause of his death If a man be found dead there is inquiry made in the countrey how this man came by his death So now that Christ is found dead on the crosse we must make inquiry how Christ came to his death upon the inquiry we shall finde that we be the crucifiers of him not the Iewes onely but my sinnes and thy sins for as
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
countenance bent towards him this made him complaine on the Crosse My God why hast thou forsaken me Of which wee have two Vses First To prise the favour of God above all things and to joy in it howsoever men be displeased with us to make little account of our ease pleasure and profits but to prise the love of God above all things and to say with David Psalm 63. 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better than life my lips shall praise thee And Psalm 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Secondly To mourne for the losse of Gods favour more than for the losse of worldly friends or for the losse of worldly goods or jewels thus wee see Christ did he was sorrowfull to see the angry countenance of God towards him Exod. 33. 4. we see when the Lord had told the people that an Angel should conduct them but he would no more go before them because they were a stiffenecked people they were dejected and no man put on his best rayment then Moses said If thy presence goe not carry us not hence So a Christian man must say when he is going out of his doore Lord carry me not from this place unlesse thy holy presence goe with me for if God be not with us we have just cause to be sorrowfull and heavie it is a pitifull thing that men can weep and sorrow for the losse of a wife or a childe or of some worldly goods but cannot weep for the losse of Gods favour Iudg. 18. 24. we see how Michah did weepe for the losse of a false god when the souldiers had taken away his gods he runnes crying after them and when they asked him why he cried saith he Yee have taken away my gods and now what have I more If Michah thus wept for the losse of his false gods how much more should we weepe for the losse of the true God And therefore men have great cause to weepe when they have driven away God from them by their sinnes The second cause of Christs sorrow was To make expiation and satisfaction for our sinnes because all sinnes are done and committed with delight therefore there must be sorrow and heavinesse to make expiation and satisfaction for them for it is a ruled case That as we doe commit sinne with delight so there should be sorrow to make satisfaction for it therefore wee are called often to weep and to mourne for our sins the greatnesse whereof we may see by the greatnesse of the sorrow that was in Christ therefore we must grieve and sorrow for our sinnes proportionably as Christ hath grieved and sorrowed for us seeing whatsoever we should have suffered he suffered for us Thirdly His sorrow was to leave us him for an example that as he sorrowed for sinne so unlesse we repent wee shall sorrow and weepe too Christ sorrowed and wept for other mens sinnes then wee have cause to sorrow and weepe for our owne sinnes to grieve throughly for them as Hosea 9. 1. saith the Lord Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast goe a whoring from thy God So if we have sinned against God there Is little cause why wee should rejoyce therefore what must wee doe we must goe into the Garden with Christ weepe along after him fall downe flat upon the ground before God and never bee at rest till wee have assurance to our soules that all our sinnes are pardoned for shall Christ sorrow for our sins and we never be moved We see 2 Sam. 11. when Vria came to David hee bids him goe downe to his house and wash his feet yet he would not but slept at the doore of the Kings Palace then it was told David who demanded of him why hee went not downe to his wife his answer was The Arke and Israel and Iuda abide in Tents and my Lord Ioab is in the field shall I then goe into my house to eat and drinke c. So we must say My Lord Iesus is in the Garden weeping sorrowing sweating bleeding and grovelling on the ground for my sinnes and shall I live then in delight Nay I will sorrow and weepe for them for sinne will cost sorrow either here or in hell therefore better it were to weepe for them here in earth when we may have comfort and hope than to weepe for them in hell where wee shall never have comfort for sinne is like to a legge that is out of joynt that cannot be set without great griefe and sorrow The third Affliction that which was wrought in Christ was astonishment or an amazednesse Matth. 26. 38. the Greeke word doth signifie that he was in a great perplexity that he knew not whither to goe nor what to say nor how to winde out himselfe such an astonishment there was and such amazednesse in the holy soule of Christ what was the reason of it because the curse of God was to come upon him for our sinnes Oh thinke of this this was that which did so amaze and perplex him therefore if he was thus troubled and perplexed to thinke of the curse of God which hee was to undergoe what shall become of us what perplexitie and amazement shall we be in when we shall stand before God we shall hardly know what to doe or where to winde or turne our selves but wee shall desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon us and to cover us from the presence of God and from his angrie countenance And therefore let every man be afraid to live in his sinnes without repentance and never let him looke for hope of ease unlesse he doe repent and turne to God here wee have twenty trickes to put off the Law and to shift that but when wee shall stand before God wee shall have no shifts to excuse the matter SERM. XIV MATTHEW 20. 17. And Jesus going up to Ierusalem tooke the twelve Disciples apart in the way and said unto them Behold wee goe up to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall be betrayed unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death And shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise againe THe point now in hand is the Behaviour or Carriage of Chirst in his Afflictions set out two wayes 1. By his Prostration on the ground 2. By his Prayer First by his Prostration Luke saith hee kneeled downe but the other that he fell downe flat upon the ground on his face this is a strange thing that Christ fell downe on the ground not able to beare our sinnes whereas Hebr. 1. 1. Hee is able to beare up heaven and earth with his mighty Word And yet the heavie burthen of our sinnes pressed him downe to the ground Many a man makes a sleight matter of sinne but it is the heaviest burthen that may be for all other
of God on the crosse is shewed two wayes 1. By the Cause 2. By the Effects The first Cause was the darkening of the Sunne upon him the Effect was the bitter complaint that he makes that God had forsaken him as if he should say It doth not grieve me that my Disciples or my kindred notwithstanding the kindnesse and love that I have shewed them or that my mother hath forsaken me but this is that which grieved me that my good Father hath forsaken me for the sinnes of my people O let us thinke of this that it is the heaviest distresse that can befall us to have God departed from us therefore howsoever our friends forsake us and the world leave us yet take heed that God doth not depart from us It was Davids comfort that although his father and mother should forsake him yet God would not forsake him so this must uphold us that although our friends and kindred forsake us yet God will not for if God should what comfort can we have But what was the cause of it the apprehension of the fearefull darknesse of the Sunne three houres together almost all the time of his passion from twelve a clocke till three Now in this darknesse of the Sun we may observe three things 1. The Manner of it 2. The Cause of it 3. The End of it First the manner of the darknesse it was at twelve a clock at the brightnesse of the day at noone time secondly it was of long continuance almost all the time of his passion thirdly it was not onely about the Crosse and in Ierusalem but all the Land over There is some difference amongst Divines about the extension of the darknesse some hold it was all the Land of Iudah ouer some all the world over Tertullian saith that this heavie hap that the Sunne was darkened all the world over at the time of the Passion of Christ was put into a booke at Rome and also amongst the Grecians it was so reported of so likewise S. Cyprian saith that this darknesse was not in the Land of Iudah but all over the world And this was the manner of the darknesse Now this darknesse must put us in minde of the fearful darknesse that shall cover the faces of the wicked if they doe not repent for as Christs face was covered in the brightest time of the day so shall their faces be covered when things should be at the best with them even when they be at the height of their glory Amos 8. 9. In that day saith the Lord God I will even cause the Sun to go downe at noone-day and will darken the earth in the cleere day so that in the middest of their joy and in the middest of their glory the Lord will bring darknesse upon them and so dash all their glory and joy Prov. 13. 9. it is said God will put out the candle of the wicked And for example we see Haman when he was at the top of the Kings favour and in his chiefest glory then the Sunne was darkned upon him he was taken and hanged on the gallowes which he had set up for Mordecai so likewise Dan. 5. when Balthasar was drinking tipling and carousing in the vessels of the house of God and presently the hand-writing appeared on the wall and writ his destruction that night hee that was so merry was killed So Luke 12. 20. the rich man in the Gospell hee would goe build his barnes greater when presently there came a voice unto him Thou foole this might shall they take away thy soule even so all the wicked men of the world that are not carefull to give glory unto God when they be in the top of their mirth and of their pleasure all their mirth shall be turned into sorrow their glory into shame their peace into trouble So we see Herod Act. 12. when he was in shining apparell and had made an Oration to the people who cried out The voice of God and not of man because he was not careful to give glory unto God the Angell strooke him with a lothsome disease he was eaten of wormes and so died Thus the Lord will darken our comfort if we doe not repent for if God brought darknesse on his Sonne then hee will much more bring it on the wicked for ever If a poore man have an house and the Sunne doe shine in comfortably to refresh him and his children that be about him if the same man take a veile and hang betweene the Sunne and the house he doth deprive himselfe and his children of the comfort of the Sunne so God if he doth shine comfortably upon us and wee take the veile of our sinnes and hang up what doe wee but deprive our selves of those comforts and joyes which wee might have had and so bring darknesse upon our selves Now this darknesse that shall come upon the wicked although they may escape it in this life yet they shall be sure of it at the day of Iudgement So it is said Matth. 25. Take the unprofitable servant binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse And therefore howsoever the wicked may goe on in joy for a season and be partakers of the light of the Sunne of the Moone and many other comforts yet the time shall come that neither the light of the Sunne or Moone nor any Star or candle shall be any comfort to them as we may see in Exodus what a fearefull darknesse there was over the Land of Aegypt three dayes together that they could not goe one to another but how much more fearefull darknesse shall that be that shall not last onely three dayes together but for ever and ever therefore let us pray to God and repent of our sinnes get faith in Christ that we may be delivered from this fearefull darknesse that shall come upon the wicked and ungodly Secondly The cause of this darknesse It was not by any naturall cause but by the hand of God which I will prove by two Reasons First because there is no eclipse of the Sunne but it comes by the body of the Moone for the body of the Moone comming betweene the light of the Sunne and us makes the eclipse as the hand of a man being held betweene the light of a candle and his owne eyes doth hide away the light of the candle from his eyes so the body of the Moone comming betweene the Sunne and us makes the Sunne to be eclipsed Now the Moone comes not neere the Sunne but when shee changes but this was when the Moone was at the full and in a perfect diameter to the Sunne for we know that the Iewes Passeover was kept in the full of the Moone therefore it was no naturall cause Secondly it was no eclipse of the Sunne for the Moone could take away but part of the light because the Sunne is bigger by many degrees than the Moone so then there was no naturall
cause of this darknesse but it was onely the hand of God that did restraine it even as he did restraine the heat of the fire when the three Children were cast into the firy furnace there was fire but God restrained the heat thereof that it could not burne so there was the Sunne at that time but God restrained the light of it three houres together Againe as the Philosophers say the second cause cannot work without the vertue of the first therefore if the first cease the second must needs cease as we see in a clocke if there be a stand in the great wheeles there must needs be a stay in the lesser because the great wheeles carry about the little ones so as I may say God is as the great wheele that carrieth about the creatures therefore when there is a stay or an cessation in God there must needs bee a stay and cessation in the creatures This therefore should make us afraid to sin against God and displease him because hee is able in a moment to destroy all the creatures or to restraine them therefore wee have cause to be afraid to offend or displease him we see how afraid men be to sinne against the King and offend him who yet can but kill the body but God is able to kill both foule and body and cast them into hell fire All the Kings are not able to restraine the influence of the heavenly bodies but God we see is able to doe it he can restraine as Iob saith the influence of the Pleiades and Orion And therefore how afraid should we be to snne against him Indeed so much the more because we have made a covenant with God of new obedience we see if a man have given one a peece of gold or silver upon a condition that if he doe such and such things hee shall double the gold if he be tempted he will say I dare not doe it because I am bound to the contrary so if we be inticed to any sinne we should say I dare not doe so because I am bound to the contrary if a man set a bowle well at the first it is like to runne well but if it be not set well it cannot possibly runne well so if we set our selves in a good course at the first it is like we shall continue well but if we doe not how is it possible we should come in a good course Thirdly The end of it Some say the Sunne was darkened because it was ashamed to behold the death of the Sonne of God and therefore was darkened even as Hagar would not see the death of her childe some say that the end was to deterre the Iewes from the death of Christ As a man when he would not have his servant to leave worke he will not put out the candle so say they it was to keepe the Iewes from so vile a thing as to kill the Sonne of God therefore the Sunne was darkned but in my minde there is another end howsoever these may bee probable and that is this that seeing Christ was to suffer for us and for our sins therefore God did darken the Sun upon him To teach us that we deserve not to have the light of the Sunne Moone or Stars to shine on us therefore when as we looke upon our gardens wives children lands or goods we must confesse and say O Lord we deserve that thou shouldest have wrapped up all in darknesse and that we should not have any light to have seene any thy blessings This should stirre us up to be thankfull to God for the light of the Sunne Moone and Starres yea for the light of a candle even for the least light we enjoy SERMON XV. MATTH 27. 46. And about the ninth houre Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Eli Eli lamesabachthani that is to say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee IN the Gospell when our Saviour had fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes he bids them gather up the fragments that nothing be lost So we should doe in the sufferings of Christ gather them up so that nothing bee lost never a drop of bloud that hee shed in the Garden never a sigh or sobbe or word on the Crosse should fall to the ground this must bee our care as also that we get cleane hearts and soules to keepe all in That which Christ suffered at the hands of God was two-fold In the Garden and on the Crosse of which we have spoken The next thing we are to speake of is the bitter complaint of Christ on the crosse wherein two things are to be considered 1. The time when he complained 2. What hee complained of The time may be considered in three particulars First that he complained at the ninth houre of the day after the fearefull darkenesse there was none of the souldiers that complained nor any of the Iewes that were moved with it but we see Christ complaines when he saw how the wrath of God came against him for our sinnes Which must teach us that though the world be not moved nor touched with the present judgements that bee upon them yet wee should take them to heart and labour to make a good use of them the Prophet complaines of this Thou hast smitten them and they have not mourned c. And Ierem. 8. 6. I. harkened and heard that they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done And Zeph. 3. 5. Every morning doth he bring his judgements to light he faileth not but the wicked will not learne to bee ashamed There is not one day that commeth over our heads but there is one judgment or other that befals our selves or others therefore howsoever others are not moved at it nor take it to heart yet wee should there be a number of strange judgements come upon us from time to time which though the wicked let slip and never regard yet the people of God must be wise to make a good use both of the judgements that come upon themselves and others if a man heare the kings writs bee out against him will he let the matter alone No but hee will make agreement or else hee knoweth it will come to a greater charge so the judgements of God are Gods writs as it were what shall we let them alone No but agree quickly lest it cost us a great deale of paines and labour afterwards But what was it that made Christ complaine It was in him the power of grace that brought it home to his heart in like manner if the power of grace be in our hearts it will teach us to make a good use of all the judgements of God Secondly hee complained on the crosse it was not in the garden for there was some distance of time betweene that which Christ suffered on the crosse and that in the garden so that hee did not
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
was to hasten his death and to rid him quickly of his paine for myrrh doth open the veines and in the margins of our Bibles wee finde it so noted Physitians say that wine being taken inwardly doth open the veines also but being taken outwardly doth stoppe them it is reported that it was the maner of the Iewes when they would hasten the death of any they gave them some bitter potion to drinke but this cannot be the reason why they gave it Christ for they did it not out of kindnesse or favour but in cruelty as we may gather by the words of David Psal 69. 21. where he saith they gave me also gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drinke Prov. 31. Solomon willeth us to give wine to those that are weake and strong drinke to those that bee afflicted so the Iewes did give wine to Christ but it was wine mingled with Myrrh it had a tang and a sowre tast with it so also many such mingled cups we give to our brethren it may bee wee releeve and helpe them but it is with a tang with bitternesse and sowrenesse it is said in the Scripture that God gives to us a pure cup of comfort and addes no sorrow to it such pure cups of comfort wee should give to our brother I dare say there is not any man but would bee ready to condemne the Souldiers and the Iewes because in his extremitie they gave him a mingled cup But let us looke into our selves what doe we wee give him such a mingled cup for every sinne we doe commit is as a drop of poyson put into a cup for Christ to drinke therefore whereas we see that we can complaine of the souldiers and of the Iewes we had neede learne to complaine of our selves much more Now Christ refused to drinke of this This may seeme a strange thing in Christ seeing hee yeelded his backe to the whip and his head to bee crowned his hands to be nailed his face to be spitted on and to bee buffeted refusing none of these things What therefore was the reason that he refused to drinke of this I answer first to teach us the true latitude and extention of Christian patience for there bee two sorts of passions some there be that be of necessity and some voluntary or arbitrary now those that be of necessity such our Saviour did not refuse such as was needfull for the salvation of man but those that were arbitrary and voluntary those our Saviour refused which may teach us this high point of wisedome that those passions that bee by authoritie and those that come immediate from God these we must with Christian patience beare but if it be an arbitrary or voluntary passion then we may refuse it it is an opinion of the world that a Christian must beare any thing that is put upon him but we see in the example of Christ how farre our Christian patience doth extend SERMON XX. MATTHEW 27. 34. They gave him vinegar to drinke mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof hee would not drinke WE may behold the resemblance and similitude of a great tree in a glasse but not in the same proportion that it hath as it groweth but a great deale lesse for alwayes the resemblance is lesse than the thing it selfe that is resembled so the Gospell is a great glasse that doth shew unto us the great love of Christ in the worke of our redemption but as resemblances be lesse than the things resembled so whatsoever wee say of the love of Christ it comes farre short of the love it selfe which Christ hath shewed unto us as it will easily appeare by the due consideration of the manner of Christs crucifiing and therefore let us proceed in order from that which we left at The last day we made entrance upon the point when amongst other things we spake of that bitter cup presented unto him whereof hee refused drinke one reason whereof wee shewed then which was to teach us the extent of our Christian liberty now wee passe on to that which remaines The second was that we might more sensibly see the love of Christ to us for all the suffering which were needfull for our salvation he refused not but did with patience endure them but whatsoever was voluntary or did concerne himselfe those he refused Ionas he could not endure the heate of the Sunne for himselfe yet hee could abide to bee throwne into the sea for the good of others and for their safety so Christ was contented for our good to be apprehended condemned and to bee spet upon to bee crowned with thornes whipped nailed to the crosse flung into the grave and yet he would not suffer any thing that did concerne himselfe but refused it Now the next generall point to be observed is the very act of his crucifying shewed but in a word Hee was crucified and yet there is much paine much adoe a great deale of torment shut up in the belly and bowels of that word For first they threw downe the Crosse upon the ground Secondly they drew or pulled out all the fearfull instruments for that purpose Thirdly they stripped him Fourthly they laid him on his backe and they stretched out his hands and his feet upon the Crosse and nailed him unto it Lastly they did reare up the Crosse into the ayre as though he were unworthy to be upon the ground And thus we see what a deale of paine and torments is shut up in the bowels of this one word whence for our learning we may gather these good instructions following First seeing Christ was crucified for us this should make us bewaile our sinnes with bitternesse that we should be the parties should bring all these pains upon Christ forhe suffred not for his own sins for he was innocent and holy but for my sinnes and thy sinnes which we daily live in Esay 53. the Prophet saith The chastisement of our peace was upon him and 1 Pet. 3. 24. it is said Who in his owne bodie bare our sinnes upon the tree therefore seeing our sins brought all those paines upon Christ we have cause to bewaile them we can bewaile the punishments we bring upon our selves but how much more should we bewaile the punishment wee bring on Christ as the spickes and the nails being driven into the hands and feet of Christ when he was crucified made the bloud runne out at the holes so the meditation and consideration thereof should cause our consciences to bleed And now seeing our sinnes have brought Christ on the crosse what will we doe mock him as the wicked Iewes and the souldiers did or be silent as the Disciples were or stand still No but we must after a spiritual manner go to the crosse of Christ and say Lord wilt thou die for me and suffer such great paines and torments I have eaten sowre
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
he that heareth my Word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come unto condemnation And therefore howsoever a Christian may be condemned in the court of man yet he shall not be condemned in Gods court this may be the stay of a Christian Rom. 8. the Apostle saith There is no condemnation to those that be in Christ so if a man be in Christ he is freed from eternall death Secondly The death of Christ hath freed us from the sting of death for as we have heard ever man hath a deaths cup put into his hands but Christ hath taken the sowre out of our cups and put it into his owne and we have the sweet Thirdly He hath altered the nature of death for it was a curse unto us and now he hath made it a blessing as in the Revelation Blessed are they that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their workes follow them Fourthly We are freed from the power of death it was seize upon us for a little season but it cannot keepe us under it is impossible that death should hold him under so it is said of Christ Act. 2. 24. He hath loosed the sorrowes of death because it is impossible he should be holden of it So it shall be with every true Christian death shall not hold them Fifthly By his death he hath destroyed the Devill sinne hell damnation and all other spirituall enemies and hath not onely conquered them for himselfe but for us therefore as Iosua when he had conquered the five Kings he called his servants and made them set their feet in their neckes So Christ will call forth his servants to set their feet on the neckes of their spirituall enemies and so make them conquerours Therefore let us lay hold on Christ if we have him we have all things and if we want him we lacke all things let us roll and wrap up our selves in the death of Christ and then his paines shall be our ease his shame our glory his life our death SERMON XXVIII IOHN 19. 38. And after this Joseph of Arimathea being a Disciple of Jesus but secretly for feare of the Iewes besought Pilate that hee might take away the body of Iesus and Pilate gave him leave hee came therefore and tooke the body of Iesus BEloved yee have beene at the buriall of many your good friends and I must intreat you to bee at one more and that is at the buriall of Christ and not so much to honour him with your presence as Christ may honour you and I must further intreate you not onely to bury Christ but to bury your selves to lay your body upon his body I meane your vile lusts and sinnes and then as Christ lay three daies in the grave and then rose againe so we shall rise at the time appointed to glory and everlasting happinesse Now in the buriall of Christ we observe divers particulars 1. What were the causes why he was buried 2. Who were the parties that buried him 3. The place where they buried him 4. The manner of his buriall 5. The fruits and effects of it The reasons why Christ was buried are in number foure first to give us further assurance of the death of Christ because all the hope of a Christian dependeth on his death as being the very price to satisfie the justice of God for mans sinne and it is as wee heard the golden key to open heaven to the true beleevers therefore there must be undoubted evidence of his death and what better can there bee than this he was buried for let a man be dead and straight way they bury him if Christ had beene alive Pilate would not have given leave to Ioseph to have taken him downe and therefore before he would give licence to bury him he enquired of the Centurion to know whether he were dead or not and finding that hee had beene dead an houre Pilate gave leave to Ioseph to take him downe and againe if Christ had not beene dead Ioseph would not have buried him because hee was a friend to Christ if there had beene but a sparke of life in him hee would not have buried him therefore this is another evidence that Christ was truely dead for men if there bee any humanity or compassion in them doe not use to bury living men but dead men therefore Abraham saith in Gen. 21. Give mee a place that I may bury my dead in so that Iosephs burying of Christ was an evidence that Christ was truely dead and Gods justice fully satisfied death and hell conquered the devill subdued and God pacified and pleased Matth 12. our Saviour saith that he will be the signe of the Prophet Ionas to them Now what was that when they were at sea there arose a great storme and the men were in danger of drowning so that they were faine to cast out their goods but when that would not doe they tooke Ionas and cast him into the sea and there was a great calme so in the generall distresse of mankinde we were all like to perish till Christ was killed and cast into the grave and then heaven and earth were at peace God was pacified and pleased therefore in all the distresses of a Christian let him goe to the grave of Christ behold him killed and crucified for thy sinnes this will make feare to fly away and comfort will spring from it Secondly that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold even in the cabbin and house of death as Iob saith Chap. 17. 13. for the grave is the house of death and there bee the chambers and roomes of death and there is the greatest power that death hath to subdue mortall men therefore Christ was buried that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold Brave Conquerours and Captaines are not contented to overcome their enemies in the field but they will pursue and follow them into their strongest holds and castles and so will conquer them there thereby to make their victory the greater so Christ did not onely conquer death on the crosse but followed him into his denne and strongest hold and overcame him there Sampsons victory was the greater that he suffered his enemies to binde him and then did breake in sunder his bands and overcame them so this made the victory the greater that Christ would suffer himselfe to be bound with the chaines of death and to be laid in the strongest hold of death yet there to overcome him Now as Christ conquered death so must every Christian conquer death not by flying and avoiding it for that we cannot doe we may not looke to doe as Henoch did goe to heaven without death but we must goe to the place of death and into his dens and conquer him there Thirdly to sanctifie and to sweeten the grave for us for in it selfe it is a place of rottennesse and filthinesse and therefore
directed to keep thy Statutes I cannot do as I would but would to God my heart were directed to keepe thy Statutes David had no strength to doe as he would but he desires it above his strength so should we Secondly The manner how Christ did appeare to her He shewed himselfe strange a long time and held her in suspence and yet Mary sought for Christ and sought for him when others gave over with teares which may teach us that many a good Christian may seeke for Christ with teares that is in truth of affection and yet not presently finde him they may seeke long and attend upon the meanes but as Christ did appeare to Mary so in due time thou shalt see him to thy comfort Now there were two causes why Christ did not appeare to Mary nor shew himselfe to her presently First through her owne default for when Christ appeared to her shee thought it had beene the Gardiner Hee did not appeare in such a forme but Marie thought so she did so sorrow and mourn for Christ that though he were before her she could not see him it was through her owne default so God many times gives comfort to us when through our owne default we see not the comfort that is before us through the sorrow and griefe wee sustaine but refuse it when it is offered and this is the cause why it is so longâ—ere some can receive comfort As Psal 77. David saith My soule refused comfort so it is with Christians many times God offereth comfort to them and they refuse it this is the estate of the best so likewise Christ appeared to the World when through their owne default they could not see him through the blindnesse and ignorance that remained in them even to this day they see not though hee speakes unto them day by day they have not the eyes of Faith to see him This is the estate of the World though God speakes unto them they know it not they thinke it is the Gardiner they thinke it is the voyce of a Man and not of God but the true Church of Christ knowes when Christ is speaking unto her It is the voyce of my welbeloved so Christ no sooner speakes but they know it but the greatest part of the world doe not so though hee speakes unto them from day to day Christ appeares unto them and through their owne default they doe not see him The second cause was Through a speciall dispensation that shee might the more repent of her sinnes and make a triall of her faith to make the present more comfortable as Ioseph made himselfe strange to his brethren a long time and afterward did reveale himselfe unto them so though Christ make himselfe strange and hold us in suspence for a time it is because hee would have our faith tried and because wee might have the greater comfort when we finde him Now though he held himselfe a long time in suspence yet Christ did discover himselfe by a word for he saith Marie and she turned about and said Rabboni Master so it was but a word of Christ that gave comfort he can doe it by a word hee can make all our discomforts to cease and give comfort with a word Thus wee see Matth. 8. that the Centurion said to Christ Doe but speake the word and thy servant shall be whole If Christ doe but speake a word his wisedome is to lay hold on that word which must teach us that wee must catch hold on every little word of Christ I have shewed you heretofore that it is the nature of the Vine to catch hold on every little sticke or on every little thing with his twigs to lift up himselfe so a Christian must lay hold on every little word of Christ to help him by But it is a pittifull thing that one word of Christ will not serve nor all the words of Christ nor the mercies nor the judgements of God to turne us to him as Marie catched hold on every little word so it must bee our wisedome to lay hold on the least word that may bring us to Christ From hence two things are to be considered First That true faith doth lay hold on every little word of Christ It is like the Vine that layeth hold on every little sticke and post with his keyes and clanvers to lift up himselfe so true faith will lay hold on every little means to lift up it selfe if it be but a word it will lay hold on it as wee see Iohn 2. Christ saith to his mother Marie Woman my houre is not yet come she layes hold on this word of Christ and saith to the servants whatsoever hee bids you doe that doe you and you shall not want wine so Matth. 15. It was but a word that Christ spake to the woman of Canaan and a sowre word too yet the poore woman catches hold of it so in the booke of Kings when Benhadads servants came unto the king they catched hold on every word thus where there is true faith it will lay hold on every little word of Christ therefore when men cannot catch hold on one word of Christ nor all the words of Christ this doth shew the dulnesse and deadnesse of mens hearts It is said Ionah 2. They which follow lying vanities forsake their owne mercies and there is great mercie offered in the Word in the preaching of the Gospell but they which despise and refuse it despise and forsake this great mercy that is offered unto them The second thing is The infinite comfort that a Christian hath after hee findes Christ Heaven and Earth cannot give that comfort that a Christian hath after he hath found him Therefore although it cost a man sore travell and labour and a great deale of paines yet hee thinkes his labour well bestowed if he can finde him at last so we see in Marie that she sought Christ and sought him with teares and yet when she had found him how joyfull was she saying Rabboni Master thou art the man I sought for thou thou art he I did long for so Ioh. 1. 41. Andrew saith to Simon Peter we have found the Messias and the wise men Matth. 2. when they had found Christ they rejoyced exceedingly therefore whatsoever paines a Christian takes to seeke Christ if once hee have found him the World cannot make him so glad he thinkes all his paines and labours well bestowed If a man finde a bag of gold how glad will he be but all the gold in the World is not like to it the Apostle counteth all things dung and drosse in regard of it It is like the pearle that the Merchant went and sold all that he had to buy the field where the Pearle was Thirdly the end why Christ did Manifest himselfe to Marie was twofold 1. By information and instruction to informe her selfe 2. To Comfort his Disciples First these words touch
could not redeeme him nor all the Patriarches and holy Men but it must be the blood of the Sonne of God and all his blood and in so great extremity as we have heard From the consideration of this we have the more cause to be thankefull unto him as Ioh. 13. Peter wonders at the humility of Christ that he would stoope so low to wash his Disciples feete or hee that was the Lord of all higher than the Heavens should stoope so low to wash my feete so wee may much more wonder and admire at this love of Christ that he would dye for us and dye such a cursed death O Lord wilt thou interpose thy soule for mine and thy body for my body and dye for mee that I might live still and therefore wee have no cause to bee offended at the crosse of Christ but we have cause to be the more thankfull to God for it and to say as Saint Iohn saith Hee hath loved us and hath washed away our sinnes in his blood as it is Esay 53. All we like sheepe have gone astray we have turned every one to his owne waies and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquite of us all Ambrose confesseth that he was more beholding to God for the worke of Redemption for redeeming him with his blood when he was lost by sinne than for creating him by his Power Therefore this may take away the scandall of the crosse because it was of necessitie that he must suffer Now that which tooke away the scandall of Christs crosse may take away the scandall of our crosse for many times a Christian man is at a stand and at a maze in himselfe and saith as the Disciples said We trusted it should have beene hee that should have delivered Israel so I trusted and hoped once that I should have beene saved but there bee so many crosses and so many troubles come upon me that I doubt I make a doubt of it whether I shall be saved or no. And that it is needfull wee should suffer as Christ did these reasons plainely shew First it is of Necessity that we should suffer because we should be conformable to him for as the head suffered so must the members as Christ speaketh Matth. 16. If any man will follow me saith he let him deny himselfe and take up his crosse and follow me so Col. 1. 24. Now rejoyce I in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behinde of the affliction of Christ in my flesh as Christ suffered in the flesh in himselfe so Paul suffered in his members and therefore it is of necessity that we should suffer Secondly because there be a number of sinnes that be so sunke and soken into the flesh that they cannot be purged out but by the crosse so David saith Psal 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word so Esai 27. 9. By this therefore shall the iniquity of Iaakob be purged and this is all the fruite the taking away his sinnes hence there be a number you see of sinnes that are so sunke and soken into the flesh that they cannot bee purged out but by the crosse as if gold bee rust and canker-fretted it cannot bee helpt but it must be cast into the fire so there be some sinnes that cannot be purged out but it must be by the fire of affliction Thirdly it was of Necessity that we should suffer To prevent sinne in us so wee see Gen. 20. the Lord came in a dreame to Abimelech and told him that hee did keepe him that hee should not sinne against God and how did God keepe him by laying his judgements upon him so 2 Cor. 12. when Paul was carried into the third heavens and saw things that could not bee uttered lest he should bee lifted up above measure the Lord sent the prick of the flesh and the messenger of Sathan to buffet him to keepe downe this naturall pride so wee see there is a necessity of the crosse and therefore have no cause to bee offended at it The second thing that Christ doth informe them of is the good utility end and issue that the crosse hath that it is so farre from taking away any thing as that it doth open away to the kingome of heaven as Phil. 2. 8 9. Paul shewes he humbled himselâ—e and â—â—â—me obedient to the death even to the death of the crosse wherefore God hath also â—â—ghly exalted him and given him a Name above all other Names here is another consideration to take away the scandall of the crosse because it was by it that Christ entred into his glory so if we will goe to glory we must goe the same way there is no other there is no neerer way to heaven but by the crosse as it is Act. 14. Through many troubles and afflictions we must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven so Matth. 20. when the woman came with her two children she makes this request to Christ that the one may sit at his right hand and the other at his left Christ answeres by way of question Can ye drinke of the cup that I must drinke of and be baptized with the baptisme that I must be baptized with for before ye drinke of the cup of glory ye must drinke of the cup of affliction therefore no man ought to be discouraged at afflictions or crosses seeing it is the way whereby we enter into glory 2 King 2. 11. when Elias was taken into heaven he was not carried in a golden chariot as the Papists say that Henoch was but it was a chariot of fire and horses of fire and yet hee was not afraid of them because they were the horses and the chariot that should carry him to heaven so when wee see the firy horses of afflictions and of death to come we should not be afraid of them because they be the horses and chariots that carry us into glory therefore this is that which should make us goe cheerefully thorough all troubles and afflictions this is that which made Paul say that he counted all things but dung and drosse that he might win Christ and that he might come to glory so whatsoever it cost a man though it cost him his life and his blood yet all is well bestowed so he may win Christ and come to glory Now to this information he doth annex a Confirmation and proves it by the Scriptures and so begins at Moses and the Prophets and doth interpret all the things that are spoken of him Now herein we may observe many things first hee doth labour to sound the faith of the Disciples on the Scriptures hee might have discovered himselfe at the first and said I am hee or might have shewed them his hands or his sides as he did afterwards in this chapter but hee goes on and leades them through the Scripture and doth interpret unto them all the places that were spoken of
anger so God is angry with us many times and would kill us but the true Ionathan Iesus Christ doth interpose himselfe and labour to mitigate his anger by presenting his wounds and body before God therefore when wee cannot lift up our voyce to God nor our hearts as wee should yet Christ makes intercession his body speakes when we cannot speake and his blood crieth when we cannot cry Now I shall not need to shew you the manner how Christ makes intercession for us having spoken of it but a little before and therfore I will now proceed without any repetition to the second end why Christ ascended Secondly That hee might more powerfully and more mightily administer and governe his Church for therefore God hath exalted him that he may rule the whole world for the good of the Church as the people rejoyced exceedingly at the crowning of Salomon so wee may much more rejoyce that Christ is all in all and that hee sits at the right hand of God for the good of the Church Now by foure actions Christ doth governe in his Church 1 He drawes people to himselfe 2 He doth guide and governe them 3 He doth exercise them with crosses and troubles 4 He doth protect and defend them against all their enemies First He doth draw and pull people unto himselfe and brings them to Faith and Repentance and an estate of grace that they may be saved so Christ saith to Ierusalem Matth. 23. 37. How often would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not to the same effect also Ioh. 11. 52. It was said of him That hee dyed not for that nation onely but that hee should gather together in one the children of God which were scattered abroad so then it is Christ that doth gather and draw us there is not any man living that is able to draw himselfe out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell into the kingdome of grace and state of blessednesse it must be Christ onely that must draw him therefore it is said in the Acts that There were added to the Church daily such as should be saved so it was not they themselves that drew themselves out but it was Christ by his Word and by his Spirit that did draw them and pull them out of their sinnes and brought them to an estate of grace Now is there any man thus drawne out of his sinnes into an estate of grace let him know it is the hand of Christ that did draw and gather him for Christs sitting in heaven is as powerfull to draw and pull men out of their sinnes as the Adamant is to draw Iron to it Wherefore when men see themselves thus drawne out of their sinnes and pulled out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell they may say as Iudas did Ioh. 14. 22. What is the cause thou shewest thy selfe to us and not unto the world even so we must admire the goodnesse of Christ and say Lord what is the cause thou hast pulled us out of the kingdome of the devill and pit of hell and hast brought us to an estate of grace to Faith and to Repentance there was nothing in us Lord but it was thy good pleasure and meere mercy to doe it Now the meanes wherby he drawes and puls men unto himselfe is especially by the Preaching of the word and Gospell therefore Saint Paul saith Eph. 4. 12. he gave some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints and for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ c. so Esai 53. 1. the Word of God is called the Arme of God because that even as men doe draw and gather with their armes things to themselves so the Lord doth draw and gather men to himselfe by the preaching of the Gospell so it is the Arme of God to draw men out of the estate of damnation into an estate of salvation and out of the kingdome of the devill into the kingdome of Christ Hereof wee may make these profitable Vses following First seeing the preaching of the Gospell is the Arme of God to draw men unto himselfe therefore faithfull Ministers must remember that they bee the hand of Christ to draw and to pull men out of their sinnes Chrysostome compares Preachers to a number of servants in a great shop of whom some bee in one place and some in another yet all comes to the common boxe and is for the advantage of the master so saith hee this world may bee compared to a shop wherein some of the Preachers are in one place and some in another imployed in preaching and yet all must come to the common boxe all must turne to the advantage of our Lord and Master they must not turne it to themselves and to their owne advantage but they must labour to draw and to pull men to God because this is the ordinary meanes to draw them by Secondly seeing the preaching of the Word is the Arme of God to draw and pull men to God therefore wee must hold us to the meanes and keep close to them that so we may be brought to an estate of grace to faith and repentance and so to be saved It may be objected All come to the means but all are not drawne and gathered to God a number hang in their sinnes still I answere though thou doe not finde thy selfe to be drawne to God presently yet doe not neglect but come still for if thou dost despise it and come not at it then it is not possible that ever thou shouldst bee gathered and brought into the state of grace but if wee come to the meanes then wee may have hope that one day God will draw us unto himselfe though not at the first houre of the day yet hee may at the second and if not at the second yet at the sixth and if not at the sixth yet at the last houre of the day Therefore we must wait on the meanes and attend that till God give his blessing unto it Iohn 5. we see a lame man came to the poole to bee helped of his diseases and lay there a long time for he was intercepted by one or other that did step in before him yet hee continued still because there was meanes of his helpe and at last Christ came and did help him so when we come to the meanes to the preaching of the Word and come a long time and we see others catch away the blessing others are drawne to faith and to repentance and to an estate of grace and we are not yet let us not tarry at home for then wee may die in our sinnes but let us come to the meanes and waite and attend on it and then at last we shall finde Gods blessing upon us
Clerke staid all with a word as it were saying We stand in jeopardie to be accused of this daies sedition So if men would thinke of this when they be in the heate of their affections and in the course of sinne it would stoppe them that one day they shall come to judgement and give in their accounts for all that they have done there is no man that can escape it no man that can avoide it When we have sinned through weaknesse and infirmity wee should not be at rest till we have gotten a pardon for it sealed with the blood of Christ As a man that is guilty of Treason cannot take contentment in any thing hee cannot eate drinke or sleepe in rest till hee hath gotten a pardon from the King so seeing we are guilty of Treason before God and have sinned many wayes against him wee should not bee at rest till wee have a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ and shewed it to God saying Lord I confesse I have sinned against thee but here is a pardon sealed with the blood of Christ I know thou wilt not deny it Sixthly The manner of the judgement whereto there belong divers Actions so that at the day of judgement there shall not be one Act onely but divers The first The burning up of the whole World even the whole frame of Nature all Creatures visible and sensible shall be destroied and brought downe into the dust Once the World was destroyed by water and now it shall be destroyed by fire God that set Sodome and Gomorrah on a fire in an instant and destroyed it shall set this whole World on a fire and no man shall be able to quench it and put it out David saith Psal 50. 3. Our God shall come and shall not keepe silence A fire shall devoure before him and a mightie tempest shall be moved round about him Daniel 7. 9. And he ancient of dayes did fit whose Garment was as white as snow and the haire of his head like purple wooll his Throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles like the burning flame A firie streame issued and came forth So 2 Thes. 1. it is said When the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance unto them which know not God nor obey him in the Gospell so that in small time the whole World shall be consumed and all the glory of it shall be brought to nothing Now if any man shall demand and say What be the particulars that shall be destroyed I answer The Apostle sheweth 2 Pet. 3. 10. That the earth with all the workes thereof shall bee consumed and burnt up all the habitations where we now dwell shall bee consumed and come to nothing many times if ordinary and slight houses be burnt such as be of bricke and stone escape but at the day of judgement not only the slight buildings shall be burned but also the stronger houses such as are made of no combustible matter of bricke and stone We see 1 King 18. The fire that came downe upon Elias his sacrifice did not onely burne up the sacrifice and the wood but it did licke up the water and burne up the stones and the dust so the fire of heaven will not onely burne the slight buildings but also the strongest houses that bee made of solid matter of bricke and stone and marble yea if they were houses of iron they shall be destroyed and dissolved and brought to the matter they were made of so all the world shall be dissolved and burnt up From hence wee learne these Uses First seeing the earth with all the workes thereof shall be consumed and burnt therefore this should teach us to moderate our care for the things of this life that wee bee not so eager and greedy of them as to scrape and scratch together these things unconscionably seeing the fire of Gods wrath shall fall upon them and consume them they shall bee dissolved and burnt up all these goodly houses and gardens hawkes and hounds all shall be burned with fire therefore we should moderate our selves in the things of this life For which cause Matth. 20. when the Disciples came to Christ and shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple saith Christ Doe yee so admire these things and dote upon them the time shall come that there shall not be left one stone on another so may we say when men dote on the things of this life and doe not seeke after heaven and happinesse Why doe yee so dote on these things the time shall come that there shall not bee a stone left upon a stone Zerxes when hee had a purpose to goe to warre did muster his men in a place and he saw seven hundred thousand men whom he went up unto an hil to take view of and at the sight of them wept his nobles asked him why hee did weepe he said that hee wept to consider how in the revolution of an hundred yeares there should not one of all these be left so it is good for a man to doe as Zerxes did to muster up all his delights pleasures and profits to take a view of them and to consider that after the revolution of a few yeares all shall come to nothing Secondly seeing this earth with all the workes thereof shall be burnt up therefore to labour for the rich graces of Christ which is the use Saint Peter makes thereof 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing therefore that all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought wee to bee in holy conversation and godlinesse and indeed how ought we to labour to get Faith and Repentance to be brought to an estate of grace that so we may be saved and stand with comfort at that day If a man should gather a great deale of wealth together and put it into an house if one should come and set the house on fire and burne up all he would cry I am undone I am undone so if we lay up all our comfort and joy here in this world when the fire of Gods wrath shall come downe from heaven and consume all these things wee may cry out Wee are undone and therefore it must bee our wisedome to lay up our treasure in heaven and then it will be safe this is the counsell that Christ gives us Matth. 6. Lay not up for your selves treasure upon earth where the moths and canker corrupt and where theeves digge through and steale but lay up treasure for your selves in heaven where neither the moth nor the canker corrupteth and where theeves neither dig through or steale Hereupon Augustine saith well there was a friend that came to a friends house that he had laid up his Corne in a low darke roome telling him that if hee laid it there it must needs corrupt and putrifie but lay it up on an high loft and then it will keepe
me So this is the Reason of the Assignement The Popish Church lay hold on these words and would prove thereby that their workes merit at the hands of God because Christ gives heaven to those that doe good to his servants and because they shall be judged by their workes To which I answer although this be the reason why the Lord assignes heaven to them that they did workes of mercy and although we shall be judged by our workes yet workes are not the meritorious cause of it why he gives us heaven but the signes and tokens who be the persons so qualified that shall have heaven such as love Christ and shew mercy to his needy members and doe good to them I will cleere it you by an example The King of England makes a promise to bestow on his subjects a great reward out of his bountie and there came before him his subjects and his enemies and he saith to his subjects I will bestow this gift on you for when I was in France ye did attend on me and shewed your love to mee â—ow this gift shewes who be the subjects of the King and who be the enemies So at the last day when the good and bad shall be before Christ and Christ shall tell them this is the reason why I bestow heaven on you because I was hungry and yee gave mee meat this is not the cause of it but it shewes onely who be the persons that God hath assigned heaven to to those that love him and regard him in his members therefore one sayes well Christ shewes not for what he bestowes heaven in this place but on what kinde of persons he will bestow it And Chrysostome saith though the Saints doe a thousand such things as these yet they deserve nothing at the hands of God it is his bountie to bestow heaven on them for so small and meane things as these So then we see workes are not the cause why Christ assignes heaven to us And there be foure grounds for it The first groundâ— is from the estate and condition we be in all are servants Therefore whatsoever we doe is but our dutie and if it be our duty we cannot merit any thing at the hand of God So saith Christ Luke 17. 10. When yee have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our dutie to doe Therefore the very estate and condition that wee are in doth shâ—w that wee cannot merit any thing at the hands of God And Chrysostome saith No man is able to shew such an holy conversation of life to deserve any thing at the hands of God but when he hath done all he is but an unprofitable servant The Papists reply against this and say That although a man cannot merit any thing being in the estate of a servant yet if of a servant hee become a friend hee may merit Now that hee may bee a friend it is plaine by the words of Christ Iohn 15. 15. Hence call I you no servants for the servant knoweth not what his master doth but I have called you friends and in the verse before Yee are my friends To this I answer we are servants still though it please God to accept of us as his friends we are only made friends by acceptance in the merit of Iesus Christ which alters not the former condition of duty and service as may be proved by these places Rom. 6. 18. Being then made free from sinne yee are made the servants of righteousnesse and in the 1 Pet. 2. 16. he exhorteth them As free and not using the libertie for a cloake of maliciousnesse but as the servants of God And Christ saith Ioh. 15. 19. Yee are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you therefore because we be servants still and remaine in the same estate and condition wee cannot merit any thing but when wee have done all wee doe but our dutie The second ground is our owne impotencie that we are not able to doe any good thing of our selves much lesse can wee merit anything Now that we can doe no good thing it is plaine by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am And 2 Cor. 3. 5. saith he Not that we are sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God So Phil. 2. 13. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dead even of his good pleasure Now then if all we doe is by the power of grace and if it is God onely which worketh both the will and the deed then we are beholding to God for it and God is not beholding to us Origen saith well No workes of man can deserve any thing at Gods hand because they cannot thinke any good or doe any good but it must be from God The Papists reply and say that God may give a man grace which he may so husband as that hee may deserve any thing at Gods hand and they make it plaine by this similitude A father gives a farme to his son and gives him a stocke now the sonne may so raise the stocke and play the good husband as he may purchase any thing that the father hath in like manner say they God may give a man grace and hee may so husband it as he may purchase any thing at Gods hand To this I answer If a father should give his sonne a farme and a stock to use and when he had done so his childe could not earne a penny but it must be the father and the son could not stirre a foot or a hand without the father then the father is not beholding to the sonne but the son to the father This is the case betweene God and us for when he gives us any grace he must give us a second grace to use and to imploy it wel and therefore it is manifest we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands it is the doctrine of the Schoole-men and Aquinas makes it plaine hee puts the question and resolves it saith he A man may receive a benefit from another and may deserve it at his hands as a man may give one an house which he may deserve but if a man when he hath given another an house must give him also power to use the house and wisdome to governe the same that man cannot be beholding to him that receives but the receiver must needs be beholding to him that gave it so although God give a man grace which he cannot use well unlesse he also give him power to use it Therefore God is not beholding to us for any thing but we are to God and therefore we cannot merit any thing at Gods hands The third ground is our imperfection that in every thing we doe we sinne against God and if we sinne against him then we cannot merit any
heart of a sinner to thinke that the paines of hell are everlasting for when they have lien a thousand yeares it shall be as if it were the first day they came thither wee see if a man bee on the racke or hang by the hand or foote or put his hand into fire hee would not long indure it for the gaining of a world much more to lye in torment for ever and ever againe if a man lye on a soft bed and have his friends to attend him when hee is sicke yet hee turnes himselfe tosses and tels the hours of the night and wishes that it were day and if hee could be rid of that paine hee would part from any thing then consider what a paine and torment it is to lye in hell where one shall not have a soft bed to lye on nor friends to attend one but shall have the Divels to torment one and shall have no allaiment of paines but bee tormented for ever and ever But seeing sinne is temporary how doth it stand with the Iustice of God to punish sinne eternally I answer two wayes First every sinne is eternall according to the intention of the doer for if wicked men should live eternally they would grieve God eternally and to this purpose Gregorie sayes well wicked men would live ever to weary and to grieve God with their sinnes therefore it is justice in God that seeing a sinner sinnes eternally in his own intenlion to punish it eternalâ—y The second answer is because we sinne against an infinite thing and therefore it must have infinite punishment Now because it cannot bee infinite in regard of the degree seeing men bee but finite and are not capable of infinite torments at one time Therefore it is infinite in the continuance of it The uses are First seeing hell fire is the portion of sinners therefore as a man will take heed of fire and water and be afraid to goe into it how much more should wee bee afraid to meddle with sinne seeing it is the cause of it If a man goe to hire a porter to carry a burthen the porter will first peise it and fâ—ele the weight of it which if hee sees hee cannot beare it shall not come on his backe for any mony so before we meddle with sinne we must peyse it and consider the waight and burthen of it whether we bee able to live in everlasting fire and if wee feele wee cannot then let us not have to doe with sinne in any case If there should bee a law made that for every lye wâ—e told or oath wee did sweare and for every one wee did deceive or slaunder wee should hold one of our hands in scalding leade or in flaming fire but halfe an hower how afraid would men bee to breake the Kings law Now the truth is that every sinne we commit against God if we doe not repent of it carry it up into the crosse of Christ and seeke reconciliation in his blood we shall not have our hand or foote to bee in fire halfe an hower but every part of us for ever and ever shall bee tormented in hell fire Secondly seeing hell fire is the punishment of sinne and the estate that every wicked man must passe into therefore wee may see the madnesse of men to bee carried away with the pleasures and delights of sinne as with a streame which bee but for a season and to lye in hell for ever and ever for it One sayes well that a sinner is like to Pharoahs dâ—eame which was interpreted by Ioseph the 7 fat kine were 7 yeares of plenty the 7 ilfavored were 7 yeares of famine the leane and ilfavored kine did eat up the sat that is the 7 yeares of want did devoure all that they had gathered together in the 7 yeares of plenty so this is the estate of a sinner all the time that a sinner liveth here is the 7 yeares of plenty and when hee goes out of this world then commeth the 7 yeares of famine O if it were but so all were well but it shall bee 7 hundred thousand yeares nay it shall bee for ever and ever in hell fire One compares the pleasures of sinnes to the Streames of Iordan that the fishes are delighted with play and skip in but at last are carried away not into the dead Sea so many are delighted with the pleasures of sinne and take their solace in it but at last are carried away into the dead Sea but into the Ocean of Gods wrath into the lake of fire and brimstone The fourth punishment or paine of the wicked is their association with the devill and his angels one would have thought there had beene punishment enough of the other O but they shall not onely goe to hell but they shall dwell with these hellish fiends the devill and the damned this is all the company that they shall enjoy doth it much aggravate their punishment Augustine saith if thou art not afraid of the place that thou shalt goe to consider the fearefull and dreadfull company that thou shalt dwell with as Dan. 4. Nabuchadâ—ezzar was driven from his palace to eate grasse and to live among the beasts what a fearefull judgement was this to live with Oxen but what is it in comparison with the other to be cast out of the presence of Christ and to dwell among the devils and damned It was the custome of a certaine country if one had murthered a man he was taken and tyed to the dead man his hands were tyed to the dead mans hands and his feet to the dead mans feet and there he lay bound till hee was poisoned with the stinke of the dead man but alas this is nothing to that which the wicked shall undergoe for if they doe not repent and turne to God while they live here they shall be bound and tyed to the devils to lye in paines and torments for ever what heart would not bleed to consider this O that wee had grace to thinke of it and care to avoide it Wee see Matth. 15. that there was a woman came to Christ and said unto him Have mercy upon me O Sonne of David for my daughter is miserably vexed with a devill now if shee were vexed thus with one devill here on earth what will it be when a man shall be tormented with all the devils in hell fire wee see what it is for a man to have his deare friend or his childe possessed with a devill though it bee but for a time what a grievous terrour then will it bee to bee tormented with the devils for ever and ever So also if a house bee haunted with devils one would not dwell in it for any thing nay not lye in the house a night O but what a torment will it be to be tormented in hell to dwell with all the devils and hellish fiends for
of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke before God in newnesse and holinesse of life and then after this life we shall live in all blessednesse in the kingdome of Heaven for ever SERMON LXXI LVKE 1. 77. To give knowledge of salvation unto his People by the remission of their sinnes AT length wee are come to the second maine blessing and benefit that God giveth unto us in this life the forgivenesse of sinnes wherein two things are to be considered First That the forgivenesse of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth to his People here in this World Secondly That this blessing appertaineth to this life onely if we have it not here let us not looke for it in the life to come For the first That the forgivenesse of sinnes is one of the greatest blessing that God giveth to his People in this world We see Esay 33. 24. it is said The People that dwell therein shall have their iniquitie pardoned So Esay 40. 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith God speake yee comfort unto Ierusalem and crie unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes and Psal 32. David pronounceth the man blessed that hath his sinnes pardoned therefore Matth. 1. the Angell said to Mary and thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his People from their sinnes so then it is cleare by the Scripture that the pardon of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth in this life It is a great blessing indeed to have food and rayment with things fit and needfull for this life but the pardon of our sinnes is a greater blessing than that for take any man abounding in all these things riches goods honours and credit yet if he want the pardon of his sinnes he is a miserable man and stands in a wofull condition for he stands not on cleare grounds The prisoners in the Tower are in a worse estate and condition than the poorest waterbearer is for though he have all good diet attendance fine roomes and a soft bed to lie on yet in his owne sense he is miserable because he lookes every day for his arraignment when sentence shall be given against him so if a man flow in all the wealth and deliciousnesse the world can afford and yet be unreconciled to God and hath not repented his sinnes he is in a worse condition and estate than the poorest of Gods Saints though they have but bread and water because that every day hee may looke when hee shall have the finall sentence pronounced against him to the wofull confusion of him for evermore When every thing goes well with us it is an hard matter for us to see the pardon of our sinnes to bee one of the greatest blessings but if the Lord should open our eyes to see our sinnes and to feele the burthen of them a little being touched in conscience for them then if the world were set on the one hand and the pardon of our sinnes on the other we would choose the pardon of our sinnes before all this world The use hereof shall be seeing the pardon of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth in this world therfore though God give us food and raiment things needfull and necessarie for this life yet we should not be at rest till we finde the pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes most men now a-dayes labour for these outward things never seeke for the pardon of sinnes but every one should checke himselfe and say I have laboured a long time for these outward things for a little bread and cloath yet the time is to come that ever I sought for the pardon of my sinnes the greatest blessing of all Exod. 8. 8. wee read how Pharoah came to Moses and Aaron saying Pray yee unto the Lord that hee may take away the frogges from mee Hee desired not him to pray to take away his sinnes which was the cause of them Iust the same is the case of the men of this world they cry out take away this judgement this sicknesse this lamenesse take away this povertie but never pray to God to take away their sinnes which are the cause thereof Gen. 15. God made to Abraham great and large promises who replies to God Lord what is all this seeing I goe childlesse so when God hath given a man Riches and goods and what the heart of a man can wish for yet he should say unto God Lord what is all this seeing I want the pardon of my sinnes therefore above all things Lord forgive mee my sinnes and pardon them The second thing is that pardon of sinnes appertaineth to this life onely for there are two sorts of blessings some that appertaine to this life some to the world to come those that appertaine to this life are First The Communion of Saints Secondly The forgivenesse of sinnes Here a man must seek it for so Christ shewes Matth. 5. agree with thine adversarie whilest thou art in the way Now Augustine saith that the time of life is the way to the judgement barre and therefore while wee are in the way wee must labour to seeke peace with God and the pardon of our sinnes lest our adversarie accuse us to the Iudge and the Iudge deliver us to the jaylour and the jaylour cast us into prison whence wee shall not come out untill wee have payed the uttermost farthing And Salomon saith Eccl. 9. 10. All that thy hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neither worke invention nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goest So S. Cyprian saith when a man is once out of this world all opportunitie of doing good is gone So Chrysostome here in this world one must finde the pardon of his sinnes in the world to come it will bee too late to finde it And so Augustine there is a twofold Repentance a fruitfull Repentance which is in this life and penall or unfruitfull Repentance in the life to come so the wicked in Hell may repent them of their sinnes the whoremonger of his whroedome swearers of their swearing and the drunkard of his drunkennesse but this kind of Repentance is unfruitfull because they have no good by it but it serveth to increase their further torment But the fruitfull Repentance is in this life onely therefore we are taught hereby to make it our wisedome to lay hold on the good time that God giveth us to repent us of our siâ—nes to bee reconciled unto him and seeke favour at his hands for if we bee once dead and layd in the grave all opportimitie of doing good is taken away If a man sends his servant to the market to buy such things as they stand in need of when the market bell rings hee must apply himselfe to buy the things that
from the hand of a loving Father 5 We should part with any thing to give unto Christ Iudg. 14. Vse 2. Comfort First our dignity to be the Sons of God Secondly That God will be a Father to us Thirdly that God will give us a heavenly inheritance Fourthly All Gods chastisements shall turne to the best Simile Simile Mercie in the â—iddest of wrath Simile 5 Why God is said to bee Almighty Quest Ans. Simile Simile God is said to be Almighty foure waies First because he is able to doe whatsoever hee will Secondly because hee is able to doe whatsoever in Nature is possible Thirdly because the whole fulnesse of Power is in God Fourthly because all the power of the creatures is in God Simile Simile None can hurt us but by power from God given Simile Object Ans What thing God cannot doe because they imply weaknesse in one SER. VI. Secondly God cannot make the Creature God Simile Thirdly God cannot doe any thing which i plyeth Contradiction Vse 1. Men must stoop and bow before him Secondly to labour to make him our friend and bee in his favour Thirdly above all things sinne not against him Iob 31. 23. Fourthly in all extremities trust in him Rom. 8. 38. Vse 2. First that our salvation is in his hand Secondly wee shall bee safe under his protection Thirdly that all his promises shall bee fulfilled in due time Fourthly that he is powerfull to destroy our adversaries The more power there is in God the more should be our comfort Simile First God made heaven and earth Vse 1. Since God made the world hee is to be praised for the comforts in the same Simile Vse 2. Not to displease him who made all since hee is able to destroy all Simile Vse 3. Since God did make all he is able to dispose all at his owne pleasure The second point God made heaven and earth Vse 1. Since God made all not to wrong God with them Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile The third point how God made all The third point how God made all Vse 1. Vse 2. The fourth point what he made all of Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Fiftly in what estate God made the world Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Simile Sixthly in what time God made all Dan. 2. 16. Quest Sol. 1 2 Simile Simile Seventhly in what order all things were made Quest. sol Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. SER. VII Eighthly all was made for mans benefit Simile ARTIC II. First Hee is Iesus Simile Simile Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Vse 3. Simile First whom he shall save Secondly boâ— Christ saves his people Simile Christs letter to the Father Guilt of Sinne what Triall Simile Secondly that there is no Iesus but our Iesus 1 2 3 4 5 Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile 3 Thirdly that hee will be our Iesus Iob 19. Simile Quest. Sol. The second Branch is that Jesus iâ— that Christ Act. 2. 36. First what is meant by Anointing First Assignation to the worke of Redemption Act. 2. 36. Vse 1. Simile Vse 2. Act. 2. 37. The second worke of Anointing was to shew sufficiencie for the worke Iudg. 16. 3. The third use of Anointing was acceptation of all he dealt with Secondly with what he was anointed The Graces of the Spirit comparted to Oyle First Oyle softens 1 Sam. 19. 23. Secondly Oyle makes cheerefull Act. 16. 25. Thirdly with what he was Anointed Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. 1 3 Fourthly to what end Christ was anointed First Christ is a Prophet Iohn 4. Simile Vse Christ teacheth by the Word and Sacraments Cantic 5. 2. Secondly Christ was a Priest Simile Simile The foure Kingly Duties of Christ 1 Col. 1. 13. Simile The second Kingly Duty Matth. 27. 26. The third Kingly Duty Simile SER. VIII The fourth Kingly Duty Vse 1. Vse 2. The fruit and benefit of Christs Anointing Simile Quest Sol. The third title is that Jesus is the Sonne of God Simile Ioh. 149. Simile Foure Arguments that Christ is God 1 Arg. 2. Arg. 3. Arg. 4. Act. 7. 59. Why Christ onely must Redeeme us 1 2 3 Secondly Christ is the Onely Sonne of God Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Heb. 1. 1. Vse 4. Vse 5. Simile Simile First Lord of all the world First having all Power under Him Secondly having all things serving Him Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Vse 4. Secondly that He is our Lord. Foure wayes Christ is Lord of the Church First by Creation Secondly by Redemption Thirdly by free gift Fourthly by voluntary service Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Simile Vse 3. Simile Vse 4. Vse 5. Simile Simile Vse 6. Simile Vse 7. Simile The first Degree of Christs Humiliation Simile SER. IX Simile Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile First How farre Christ tooke mans nature The first conclusion The second conclusion Simile Quest. sol 1 2 3 4 Secondly why Christ was made man 1 2 3 Thirdly the ends why Christ tooke mans nature 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Simile 4 Simile 5 Fourthly the manner how hee tooke flesh First of what he was Conceived Simile Simile 2 Secondly by what power He was conceived Quest Sol. 1 How Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost Simile 2 3 Simile Object Sol. Simile First of whom Christ is borne Three reasons why Christ was borne of a Virgin Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. First what stocke the Virgin Mary came of Secondly her estate Foure reasons why Christ was borne of such meane Parentage The first Reason of Christs low birth Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason 4. Reason 4. SERM. X. First there is a fulnesse of time to fulfill Gods promises Vse 1. Vse 2. Secondly the fulnesse of time is comming Simile Thirdly God sent his Sonne in the fulnesse of time The first perticular time when Herod was king Christ was borne at the lowest ebb of the Jewish estate The second particular time The first cause The second cause Simile Thirdly the place of Christs birth Quest Sol. Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Reason 3. Fourthly the manner of Christs birth Object Ans Vse 1. Vse 2. Secondly hee was borne meanely Foure Reasons of Christs meane Birth 1 2 Simile 3 4 Simile First unto whom Christ was manifested Three Reasons why Christ was first knowne to the meaner sort 2 Simile 3 Simile Object Sol. Simile Secondly in what disposition the shepheards were found Iudg. 6. 11. Calvin Dominus cum venit inveniet melbar antem Thirdly by whom Christs Birth was manifested Fourthly the time of the manifestation SER. XI The first effect Simile Simile Reason 1. Reason 2. The second effect made hast Simile The third effect they published all Simile The fourth effect they returned to their callings Two Reasons of Christs manifestation Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Secondly the place whence they came Two reasons why the wisemen came so farre to Christ 1 2 Luk. 11. 31. Simile Object sol Simile Thirdly the place whither they went Simile
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.
Thirdly the effects of his speech 1 The third speech of Christ on the Crosse First the occasion of the speech First the party who was converted 1 Tim. 1. 15. Simile Secondly the time when he was converted 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Danger of late Repentance 2 Thirdly the fruits and effects of the theefes conversion First the reproofe of his fellow theefe 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile 2 His confession of sinne and punishment due thereunto 1 2 3 His apologie and defence for Christ 4 The prayer which he made SERM. XXII Fourthly the theeves prayer 1 2 3 1 2 Simile 3 First what he prayed for Simile Simile Object Ans. 1 2 1 2 Thirdly what hee promised First Paradise First instruction Simile Simile 2 Instruction 2 His owne company 4 The time of fulfilling this Prophecie Object Sol. Quest Sol. Object Sol. Vse Matth. 27. 46. 1 2 SERM. XXIII Simile 1 The naturall cause of it Simile 2 By exiccation or drinesse 3 Extremiâ—â—e of griefe The Morall causes of Christs thirst 1 That we might not thirst 2 To fulfill a scripture 3 That by his thirst we might learne to thirst Math. 5. 2 Christs carriage in his thirst Simile Simile Simile 4 The event of his thirst Simile Simile SERM. XXIIII First what is meant by finishing Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Vse 3. Quest Sol. 2 The time when he said it is finished 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile 3 By what actions all was finished Simile Vse Vse 2. SER. XXV Simile 1 To whom Hee commends his spirit Simile Simile Secondly what he commended 1 2 Thirdly the time when he commended his soule to God First danger Secondly dayly Simile Simile 〈…〉 Three Grounds whereon to commit our soules to God 1 2 3 5 What comfort we may have by Christs commending his soule to God 1 Simile 2 Simile SERM. XXVI 1 Why it was needful that Christ should die Simile Simile 2 Simile Simile 3 Simile Secondly the time when 〈◊〉 dyeâ— Simile Simile Simile Thirdly the manner of His death 1 Foure reasons why Christ died a painefull death 1 2 3 4 Simile 2 He died willingly 1 2 Quest Sol. 4 The manifestation of Christs death 1 2 Quest. Sol. Of the Paschall Lambe 1 2 3 4 5 SERM. XXVII 1 2 1 2 Zech. 13. 1. 1 For the guilt of sinne 2 The filth of sin Simile Simile 5 The power of Christs death 1 The Temple veilerenting Reason 1. Of the veile of the Temple reuting Simile Reason 2. Three times of Ceremonies 1 2 3 Reason 3. Reason 4. 2 The rending of the stones 3 The graves opened Simile 6 The effects of Christs death 1 2 3 4 5 Iosua 10. 24. SERM. XXVIII First the reasons why Christ was buried are foure Reason 1. Simile Reason 2. Simile Simile Reason 3. Simile Simile Reason 4. Simile Simile Simile Simile Secondly the Parties who buried Christ 1 Simile 2 Thirdly the place of his buriall First another mans grave Reason 1. Reason 2. Simile Secondly Iosephs grave 3 A new Grave Two causes why Christ was buried in a new Grave 4 It was in a garden Simile Simile 4 The manner of Christ buriall 1 2 3 4 5 Obser 1. Their readinesse to bury Christ 2 Observatioâ— 3 The fruite and benefit of his buriall 1 4 Waies to burie sinne Simile 2 Simile ARTI IV. Simile 3 Simile Simile Simile SERMON XXIX 1 Simile 2 Simile Simile Foure opinions of Christs descension into hell 1 2 The second Opinion 3 The third Opinion Object Sol. 4 The fourth Opinion 1 2 Object sol Simile Two more probable Opinions 1 Reason 1. 2 3 Object Sol. 4 5 6 Object Sol. Two reasons to prove the point 1 2 Object Sol. Object Sol. Two parts of the earth The second probable opinion Vse 1. Two Descents of a Christian 1 Simile 2 2 Sam. 6. 22. Simile SERMON XXX The first degree of his exaltation His Resurrection First three reasons why it was needfull that Christ should rise Simile Simile Reason 2. 1 2 2 The time when hee rose againe Reason 1. Why Christ rose no sooner Reason 2. Three Reasons why Christ rose no later 2 3 4 3 The manner how Christ rose 1 Obser 1. Simile Simile 2 Simile Simile 3 2 Christ when he rose left behinde him all Deaths ornaments Reason 1. 2 3 The Company he rose with SERM. XXXI Simile Simile 1 Who they were who did rise Difference of raising up godly and wicked Simile Secondly what number rose with Christ 2 Quest Ans. 1 Simile 3 When they did rise Simile Simile 4 What they did being risen 5 What became of those who rose 1 Simile Comfort for not knowing the moment of calling Simile Quest Ans. ART V. First why Christ appeared to Mary Magdalen Observation Six notes of Maries love 1 3 1 2 Simile SERM. XXXII 3 4 Simile Note 5 6 Simile Simile 2 The manner how Christ appeared to her Note Two causes why Christ put off Mary so long 1 2 Simile Simile 1 Consideration 2 Consideration Simile 3 The end why Christ did manifest himselfe to Marie 1 2 The second end of his appearance to Mary Quest Ans 1. Ans 2. Simile Simile Ans 3. 2 Whom she must tell Simile 3 What her message was A twofold Comfort first from his ascension 1 2 Secondly from his going to our Father 1 Circumstance SERMON XXXIII 2 Circumstance Simile Simile Simile Simile Simile â— Causes why men delight not to speake of the word 1 Simile 2 Simile 3 Secondly How Christ did manifest himselfe to them 1 2 Simile Quest Sol. Simile Two reasons why Christ could not be sâ—ene 1 2 Thirdly Christ joyned with them Simile Simile First Faith Three things a Christian is commended for 1 2 3 Secondly their weakenesse of faith Simile Simile Three hinderances of the Disciples faith 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile SERMON XXXIIII Simile Simile Two reasons why we are so slow to beleeve the Scripturesâ— 1 Simile 2 Simile Vse 1. Simile 2 Simile Two wayes how Christ strengthens his Disciples faith First the necessity of Christs sufferings 1 Necessitie Simile 2 Necesstie Simile Quest Sol. Simile Three reasons why of necessity wee must suffer 1 2 Simile 3 Secondly Christ informes them of the utility of his Suffering Simile Fourthly confirmation to information Three trials to know when Christ will be gone from us 1 Simile 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Simile Geneâ—◠〈◊〉 26. Simile Simile Two things wherein every Christian should pray God to bee with him 1 Simile Simile 2 Quest Sol. 1 2 The first popish argument Sol. The second popish argument Sol. 2 Vses 1 Vse 2. Simile 1 2 SERM XXXV First their disposition Simile Simile Simile Simile Two Reasons of their meeting 1 Simile 2 2 Hee appeared when the doors were shut Simile 2 2 The manner how Christ did appeare Object Sol. Quest Sol. Vse Where wee are to seeke for peace 3 He shewed them his hands and feete Simile 2 Vse The third point the effects of Christs apparitiom Christs care to