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
therefore Christ did first appeare to her I will shew you six particulars wherein Mary did shew her love to Christ First that she continued seeking when others Peter and Iohn gave over Secondly in that she wept and mourned for the losse of Christ when others went away without mourning and weeping We see in nature if one comes to a birds-nest and take away her young ones the bird will flie about the nest take on and in some sort bewaile the losse of her young but the Devill may come and catch away the graces of Christ repentance faith patience the comfortable feeling of Gods favour with the hope of heaven and yet thou never weepest for the losse of these therefore it is a good thing when a man hath lost these graces if he can bewaile them It is said of Ioseph and Mary when they had lost Christ they sought him with heavie hearts even so when a man hath lost the comfortable feeling of Gods favour and the graces of Christ he seekes for them and doth weepe in regard of the losse of them this is a true note of true love to Christ Thirdly in that shee bowed downe into the Sepulchre and looked here and there if by any meanes shee could finde Christ Of these wee have spoken alreadie now to proceed Fourthly Her true love to Christ is seene by the continuance of her complaint For notwithstanding she had seene the comfortable sight of Angels the one sitting at the head the other at the feet of the Sepulchre shewing that they were not onely ready to attend the head but also to minister to the meanest of the members of Christ who gave her comfortable speeches asking why shee wept as if they should say to her Indeed if Christ should lye still trampled and trodden under-foot of death if thy sinnes were yet upon him and held him under there might be cause for it but Christ hath risen from the dead and hath vanquished and overcome Death Hell and the Devill and therefore thou hast no cause to weepe yet for all this sight she had seene and for all those good speeches the Angels could not give her comfort till she had the thing shee sought for So if a man have true love to Christ it is not all the Angels can give him comfort till he finde Christ and feele the comfortable assurance of the pardon of his sins and the hope of Gods favour nothing will make him glad till then as Mary complaines to the Angels and sayes They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him in whom I have laid up all my joy and comfort all my hope and all my delight so a Christian may complaine and say My sinnes have taken away Christ from me they have taken away the comfortable feeling of Gods favour the hope of heaven We marvell that the good speeches that Preachers and good Christians give to a man in distresse doe not comfort him but it is no marvell for the Angels cannot doe it till a man be possessed with Christ therefore no marvell that good Preachers and good Christians cannot give them comfort it is a pitifull thing that a number when they have lost Christ every little matter will comfort them they need not have Angels sent from heaven for a few angels of gold will doe it Fifthly The divulgation of her complaint shee complaines to the Angels and she complaines to Christ thinking he had beene the Gardener she was not ashamed that hee should know that the cause of her heavinesse sorrow and weeping was for Christ this is a certaine note of true love to Christ when we are not ashamed to let the world know or see that the cause of our sorrow and heavinesse is because wee have lost Christ by our sins and the comfortable feeling of Gods favor So in the Canticles when the Church had lost Christ she runs thorow the streets and lanes to see whether she could finde him she was not ashamed to let the world know that the matter of her griefe and sorrow was because she had lost Christ so afterwards she layes out for Christ If yee meet my love tell him that I am sicke of love shee was not ashamed to let the world know that she was sicke of love so when it is thus with a man that hee is not ashamed to let the world know and see that the matter of his sorrow and griege is because he hath lost the comfortable feeling of the pardon of his sins and of Gods favour this is a note of true love to Christ Hebr. 2. 11. it is said that he was not ashamed to call them brethren therefore if he be not ashamed of us let us never be ashamed of him Indeed there is good cause why he should bee ashamed of us there is such a deale of corruption and sin in us therefore he might be ashamed of us especially when hee shall stand before God in judgement Now if Christ bee not ashamed of us let us never be ashamed of him for if we be ashamed of him before men he will be ashamed of us before God and all the holy Angels The sixth note of true love which she bare to Christ was the strange proffer she made to Christ Tell mee saith she where thou hast laid him and I will take him away if he be never so deepe if it be never so far I am contented to take any paines to have him this is a strange proffer which she makes beyond her power and abilitie her weake armes were not able to carry Christ but herein she shewes her true love to him so when a man is contented to take any paines or labour to goe thorow it be it never so farre if he can finde Christ is contented this is a note of true love to Christ for Luke 7. 37. our Saviour saith that where the dead bodies be thither the Eagles will resort As the Eagles when they sent a dead body they will flie many a mile to it so we should like the Eagles get a sent of the dead body of Christ and be contented to goe many miles take any paines and labour that we might have Christ Ioh. 21. when the Disciples were a fishing Christ came and appeared to them upon which discovery Peter launches into the water the ship could not hold him but he leapes into the sea to come to Christ so when we know that Christ is to be found in the use of good meanes in the preaching of the Word nothing should keepe us from thence Mary was content beyond her strength and ability to seeke Christ so we should shew our love to him above our strength and abilitie as 2 Cor. 8. it is said of the Macedonians that to their power and beyond their power they were willing And as he sayes Psa 119. Thou hast commanded me to keep thy Precepts diligently O that my heart were
Death Power of the Divell Sinne c. 272. How Christ defends his Church 380. God deferres not good tidings from man 123. * Sinne hath made us so deformed that God doth not acknowledge us 150. Deformities are punishments for sinne 639. Deformities in the member of the Church as bad as that in the members of the body 573. †Pilates endevour to deliver Christ better than Peters 200. †Of Christs descension into Hell 283. Christs Body Soule did not descend into Hell 285. â— 287. Against the Papists Christ did not descend into Hell to Preach to the damned 285. †Suffer paines there ibid. ¶ No Skirts of Hell 286. Places of Scriptures alledged by the adversaries for Christ descension into Hell answered 289. The descension of Christ into Hell nothing else but the captivating of him under death for a time 289. ¶ Two descents of a Christian 290. Christs desertion on the crosse 164. Spirituall desertion what it is 170. †Tryals of good desires 28. Defects in unsound desire of Heaven 498. How the wicked desire grace 506. see Grace No man ought to despaire of Gods mercie 233. ¶ The Divell the Author of all division 478. Why Christ died no ordinary death 212. It was needfull Christ should dye 1. To satisfie Gods Iustice for Mans sinne 2. That our sinnes might dye in his death 3. To seale to true bileevers Gods promises in the Gospell 261 262. Why Christ dyed a painefull death 264 We must be willing to dye when wee have done Gods worke 263. We should labour to dye the servants of God 143. ¶ in peace of conscience 144. * Ill successe Bad example in holy labors should be no discouragements 134. What it was that Christ dranke on the crosse 217. God drawes man out of sinne 379. Perseverance in good duties never failes in obtaining a reward 488. * Duties to God must not abridge our duties to men 231. * E WIcked men get up early to follow their lusts 193. †How the earth shall be renewed 413. The Earth shall be renued in regard of Christ the Godly the wicked 414. The wicked can lay no claime to the Earth when it is renued 415. ¶ Ecce Homo a good memento for a Christian 203. ¶ Of the Disciples that went to Emmaus 316. Actions determined by their ends as a ship governed by the Sterne 407. †Good endevours shall finde Gods blessing 136. * Wee ought so to live as our enemies may haue no just cause of exception against us 195 ¶ Love to our enemies a Christian duty 225. * Five Motives thereto ibid. The wicked alwaies enemies to the friends and followers of Christ 191. ¶ How the true Church may erre 570. The comfortable estate of a Christian never to be forsaken of God 173. ¶ God able to raise from nothing to great worldly estates The exaltation of Christ 291. Christs humility our example 164. * Christs example our iâ—itation 245. †How examples are most fit to move 138. ¶ Bad example 135. Bad example should not transport us from Christ 234. ¶ No exception to bee taken against the two Bookes that shall be opened at the day of Iudgement 440. Excommunication a most fearefull sentence 568. * Whether better to sinne against God or stand excommunicated 568. ¶ VVhy the Disciples eyes that went to Emmaus were held 319. God must open our eyes before we can discerne Christ 335. †F THe great Object of Faith God 41. Two rules to governe our Faith concerning God 478. Faith Historicall 16. Temporary 18. Miraculous 19. Iustifying 20. Two reasons why Faith aloue justifieth 31 What required to a justifying Faith 20. Seven trials of true justifying Faith 22. Five companions of true justifying Faith 25. c. Degrees of true justifying Faith 26. Effects of true justifying Faith 37. There weakenings of Faith The scandall of the Crosse Too much hast to have our desires Tying to our eyes and hands 322. Wherein weaknesse of Faith consists 27. Trials to distinguish a weake Faith from no Faith 28. How to finde out weaknesse of Faith 30. Reasons why our Faith is shâ—keâ— 32. True Faith may be shrewdly shaken 321. †Comforts in weaknesse and want of feeling of Faith 34. Full assurance of Faith 36. He that takes away one main point of Faith takes away all 20. True Faith layes hold on every little word of Christ 311. ¶ True Faith breakes through all lets 126. †True justifying Faith assureth of salvation 31. 33. Wherein Faith is necessary to salvation though judgement be according to works 457. * Our Faith must bee grounded on the Scripture 329. ¶ Faith that is visible saveth 457. ¶ Faith must be in particular 77. * Faith vsefull in the life of a Christian 3. Two waies Faith stirres up holy motions in 〈◊〉 4. All things must be done in Faith 7. Comforts from doing things in Faith 9. Faith upholds 〈◊〉 in Spirituall desertions 11. Worldly crosses 12. The least Faith after a temptation must bee cherished 337. †How to die in Faith 14. After a fall in sinne a Christian must endeavour to rise 337. â— The fall of GODS Children not finall 173. Carefull provision for our families necessarily commanded 230. â— Caesars favour preferred before Gods 210. †Want of the feare of God occasions mens running into all disorder 236. †Christs feare on the crosse a dreadfull feare 153. The causes of Christs feare Gods judgement Death 144. The extremities of Hell fire 469. Hell fire eternall 470. †Hell fire is not naturall fire 468. The extreme torments of the wicked me meant by fire 4â—7 ¶ The Spirit quenched as fire 516. How the flesh may overcome the Spirit 595. The manner how Christ tooke flesh 105. Christ tooke flesh in his Conception Birth 105. How Gods people are said to flow 125. †A man may flie in persecution when hee hath not A calling to stay Sufficient strength to suffer 1â—2 None can forgive sinnes but God 615. How men may forgive sinnes 616. * God forgives sinnes with condition of repentance 617. How a man may know his sinnes are forgiven in particular 618. A Minister forgives sinnes two wayes 346. Forgivenesse of sins a great blessing 608. belonging to this life onely 609. Forgivenesse of sinnes in regard of Vâ—â— free Christ due 612. Forgivenesse of sinnes is without limitation of their Number Greatnesse 614. Comforts from forgivenesse of sinnes 621. God forsakes not his Children prov'd from the Promise Nature Power Vertue of Christs Prayer of God 172. Gods forsaking a man the greatest griefe 164. ¶ God may be said to forsake his Children in the life of nature but never in the lâ—fe of grace 173. A Christian forsaken of God in the sense and feeling of his grace must carry himselfe Mournefully Patiently Holily 175. Christ is forsaking a man when he Growes idle in the use of the meanes Lives in knowne sinnes Feeles a decay of grace 330. Forwardnesse and intrusion into bâ—sinesse needlessely a great fault 78. ¶ Wee
it I And so true faith doth apply the word particularly to themselves historical faith doth not so but is like the Apothecaries boy that gathered herbes and simples for other mens diseases and not for his owne even so many men gather good things out of the word and others have the benefit of it and they have none all their comfort hangs on this to talke and speake of the judgements of God and of the good things that be in Him but it goes no further it doth not apply home the word and therefore it is another kinde of faith that wee must looke and labour for The second kinde is Temporary faith this kinde goes further than the first did For it doth not onely assent to the word of God that it is true but doth particularly apply it in part and there is also some unsoundnesse left behinde it this kinde of faith is spoken of in Matthew 13. 20. it is said to be the stony ground that brings forth fruit for a time all is not well with them for they do not continue they go away This is the common faith of the world to heare the word of God to apply it in some part so farre as it goeth with them but if it crosse them then it faileth and is carried away with the sway of corruption in them that as the weeds eate out the heart of the corne so corruption eateth out the heart of their saith Now it is called Temporary faith c. 1. Because it ariseth from Temporary causes 2. Because it is but of Temporarie continuance The temporary causes are three first because that men have a desire to get knowledge above the rest and to keepe Table-talke and to put downe others when they bee in company The second is to keepe credit with the world they would not be counted odde men and to bee pointed at this is the reason why Simon Magus Act. 8. beleeved became a great man in the world because he would not be pointed at or counted an odde man The third cause is worldly ease and benefit there is somewhat to bee gotten by it or some are afraide that if they doe not so as others doe they shall bee brought in danger of the Law As Iohn 6. 26. the people followed Christ but it was to be fed of him and in Numbers wee see the hope of liberty and the priviledges that the Israelites had made other to joyne with them So likewise Hester 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Iewes for the feare of the Iewes fell upon them but wee must have a better ground than this if ever wee will be saved or blessed of God and saved at the day of judgement Secondly it is called temporary faith because it is but of temporary continuance for a time it is stony and hard at the bottome it doth not hold because it hath no roote it wants a roote of judgement and roote of affection First it wants a roote of judgement because they beleeve as others do and never heard otherwise they doe not beleeve it because God hath taught and revealed it therefore they are in danger to fall away but if they beleeved it because God hath spoken it and it is his will it is not all the world that could beare them over in it This wee see in the Primitive Church and in Queene Maries daies that the great Doctors and Schollers could not over-beare them although they were but poore men because they were rooted in judgment therefore if men will hold out unto the end they must labour to have this roote in judgement Psal 85. The prophet David saith I will hearken what God saith I will not hearken what the world my corruptions nor what men say but I will hearken what God saith Secondly in regard of affection a man must love the word esteeme it and set a high price upon it or else hee may well have a roote of judgement but no roote of affection and there will be no continuance and therefore dost thou love it and regard it be ready to apply it to thy selfe joy in it as the chiefest treasure and count it as the greatest blessing and be contented to part and to let all goe in regard of it Thirdly Miraculous Faith is a perswasion that God will use some men for some excellent worke to worke some miraculous thing this kind of Faith was in Iudas and many such others that Christ will say unto at the last day Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie As what is it to cast out the divell and not to cast out a mans owne sinnes what is it to clense a Leper and yet cannot clense our selves from our corruptions to raise the dead and thou to lie still in thy sinnes to give sight to the blind and thou not see the good things of God to open the eares of the deafe and thou wilt not have thine eares open to heare the good things of God And therefore if thou hast justifying Faith to cast out thy sinnes corruptions thou hast a more excellent gift than to worke miracles to raise the dead to clense the soule Leper to give sight to the blind to make the dumbe to speake the lame to goe the deafe to heare for thou shalt goe to heaven when they they shall goe to hell Wee see Luk. 10. 17. c. When Christ had sent out his Disciples to cast out divells at their returne they came againe rejoycing and told him that the spirits were subdued through his name they rejoyced but our Saviour bids them not to rejoyce at this but rejoyce that their names were written in heaven And therefore if thou hast by true faith cast out thy sinnes if thou canst cast up thine eyes of faith to heaven and there behold and see thy name written this shall bee greater comfort to thee than the casting out divells The fourth kind of saith is true Iustifying and saving faith all is nothing without this faith in Christ this it is that must justifie and sanctifie fie us which faith is an assent to the whole word of God to make use of it to ourselves and a particular application of the promises of God made untous in Christ wherein we stand perswaded of our reconciliation in the blood of Christ Now there be three things required in this justifying and saving faith First there must be an assent to the whole word of God for it doth not beleeve God in one point and not in another but it beleeves the whole word of God The schoole-men say a true beleever maks no choice what point he will beleeve if God hath revealed them he will beleeve them all it is said 2 Cor. 10. 5. Casting downe the imaginations and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivitie every thought to the obedience of Christ it doth so bring under and captivate his wits that whatsoever Christ
deceived of our faith and so deceived of heaven I will give you seven true notes and markes of faith whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world which are these that follow The first signe of true faith whereby wee may discerne it from the faith of the world is By the efficient cause which is preaching For thence it ariseth so it is preaching that workes faith in us so wee see in Rom. 10. Faith commeth by hearing the Word of God preached it doth not arise of nothing but comes of preaching therefore it is called Semen the seede of the Word that even as plants and herbs come of seedes so of the preaching of the Word comes faith but the faith of the world that doth not arise of the preaching of the Word but of the speech of people and by a report they have heard of ever since they can remember who never heard otherwise and therefore this is not the true faith Wherefore every one should looke how he comes by his faith and by what means if it comes not by preaching it cannot be true faith Now if preaching be the meanes to get true faith in us let us labour to have it because it is the meanes to worke true faith for how can wee have it if wee want the meanes if wee have not seede wee can have no corne and hee that stealeth away a handfull of our feede doth us more hurt than hee that stealeth much more out of our barne so if we have no preaching which is the meanes we can have no faith and he that takes away preaching doth us more hurt than to take any thing else from us The second signe or marke of true faith whereby wee may discerne it from the faith of the world is That it begins in weakenesse Even like a childe that is weake at the first and afterwards it groweth stronger and stronger through the nourishment it takes so our faith is weake at the first and by the use of good meanes it groweth stronger and stronger Iudges 6. we see how weake Gideons faith was at the first and so the disciples of Christ their faith was so weake at the first that Christ did reprove them for it Now the faith of the world that doth not begin in weakenesse but it is as strong the first day as it is many yeares after there is no doubting of Gods mercy they leape into the full assurance of faith at the first and therefore this cannot bee true faith for this beginnes in weakenesse and after by little and little it comes to the full assurance of faith Even as a man that climbes up to the top of a tree he catcheth hold first on the lower boughs and so by little and little he windes himselfe into the Tree till at last he comes at the top so wee come not to the full assurance of faith at first but wee must winde our selves into it by prayer meditation conference and such like duties till wee come unto the full assurance thereof It is the bold presumption of the world that they thinke they shall bee saved as soone as they looke into Religion when as it comes onely by the use of good meanes many a day together The third point wherby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world That it groweth although it begins in weakenesse yet it growes by the use of the good meanes that it was gotten by as by preaching of the Word prayer and such like good meanes as the Apostle shewes 1 Thes 2. 13. For this cause also thanke wee God without ceasing that when ye received the Word of God ye received it not as the word of man but as it is indeede the Word of God which worketh in you which beleeve The graces of God are compared to a little seede and not to a stone for that stands at a stay Now true faith groweth by the use of good meanes so we see 1 Pet. 2. 1. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby The faith of the world doth not grow but keepes at a stay and doth not increase by the preaching of Gods word and prayer and by the use of good meanes therefore it cannot be true faith if a man hath a little child and they feede it and give it meate and the child grows not therby but stands at a stay they may say it is a changeling but this is not alwayes true It is observed to bee a judgement of God to restraine the blessing of foode although it be not alwaies true in this yet it is true in our faith if it keepe at a stay and doe not grow when there is good meanes it is no true faith no better than a changeling The fourth point whereby wee may discerne of true faith from the faith of the world is By the qualities of the person in whom it is found for it is not found but in a heart bruised and broken with sinne as Acts 2. they were pricked in their hearts and in Acts 16. the Iayler there trembled so that true faith is alwayes in a heart broken and bruised for sinne Now in the faith of the world there is no compunction nor sorrow for sinne they never mourne nor grieve for it therefore because it is not found in a heart bruised and broken it cannot be true faith they bee as merry at the first as at the last day If a Physitian should tell us that such a herbe would helpe us against all Infections whatsoever but it alwayes growes in a watery place and hee should tell us that there is another herbe like that in colour stalke leafe smell and in blossome but it groweth on a rocke or on a stone wall if wee should finde such an herbe on a rocke or on a stone wall wee could not say it were that which would preserve us against the infection because it groweth not in a watery place even so the heavenly Physitian hath told us that true saving faith doth alwayes grow in a heart that is broken and bruised for sinne in a watery conscience and therefore if wee find one like it in in all things and find it on a rocke or on a stone wall if we find it in an impenitent and hard heart and a heart never touched for sinne this is not the true faith Wee read that Mary Magdalen brought a boxe of costly oyntment to Christ and broke her boxe and powred it our which Christ did accept of all other oyntments are best in a whole boxe but this oyntment of faith Christ doth not accept but in a broken boxe in a heart broken for sinne and because the world hath not their faith in a broken boxe in an heart broken for sinne therefore Christ doth not accept of it The fifth point whereby wee may discerne true faith from the faith of the world is by the opposition that is made against
our friend then the more power there is in God the more is our comfort but if God be our enemy and displeased with us for our sinnes then our terrour is the greater because hee is so much the more powerfull to destroy and bring us to nothing therefore let us labour to make God our friend and father and then the more power there is in God the more will bee our comfort Now we come to speake of the second Attribute that he is the Maker of heaven and Earth in this there be divers particulars to be observed 1. Who made heaven and earth And that was God 2. What he made Heaven and earth and all things in them 3. How hee made them or with what Instrument With his Word 4. Of what he made the world Of nothing 5. In what estate he made the world In a good estate 6. In what time he made it In six daies whereas hee might have made it in a moment or in six houres but for singular cause he was six daies a making the world 7. In what order he made Heaven and Earth at first The Heaven for man to rest in and Earth for man to labour in 8. To what end he made it To convey his glory and his goodnesse to his creatures First who made Heaven and Earth It was God no man nor Angell made it nor it made not it selfe but God made it Genesis 1. 1. In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth and so Paul saith in this place that I have read unto you I preach unto you that ye should turne from these vaine idols unto the living God that made heaven and Earth and the Sea and all things that in them are so Heb. 3. 4. For every house is builded by some man but he that hath builded all things is God so then the point is cleared none can deny it Now let us come to make use of it First seeing God made the world and it was not made by man nor Angell neither did it make it selfe but God made it therefore if there be any comfort or any delight to bee found in any creature God is the Author of it and to be thanked for it for we cannot make a sticke nor a straw a feather an eare of corne nor a stalke of grasse therefore seeing God hath made a number of good things for our comfort and benefit God is to bee thanked for it If a man should set up an house for a poore man to dwell in so often as hee looketh on the house he thinkes of the good will of him that set up the house so God hath set up heaven as it were to cover us earth to beare us sea and land to feed us therefore so often as we looke on any of these we are to be thankfull So David Psal 8. 1. O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world Who hast set thy glory above the heavans and verse 4. What is man that thou art so mindefull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him So Davids affections were swallowed up in the consideration of it Secondly seeing God made heaven and earth take heed we doe not displease him for hee that made all is able to destroy all As it is Gen. 6. 7. And the Lord said I will destroy from the earth the man whom I have created from man to beast and to the fowles of the heaven and to the creeping things therefore seeing he made all take heed we doe not sinne against him remembring what is said Esai 51. 12. I even I am hee that comforteth you who art thou that thou shouldest feare a mortall man and the sonne of man who shall bee made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker c. Wee see men are afraid of men to displease them but we ought to bee much more afraid of the power of God who is able to destroy all if a man should hang from the top of an high tower by a twine threed and in such manner as if he that held him should let it goe he would dash him all to peeces how afraid would hee bee to offend him and how glad to please him So wee all hang as it were out of an high tower by the threed of our life God holds the threed who if he should forgoe his hold wee fall and dash to nothing therefore how afraid should we be to offend or to displease him with our sinnes and carefull to please him in all our courses if men had grace to consider this they would not live in knowne sinnes as they doe Thirdly seeing he made all hee is able to dispose of all at his owne will and pleasure for the workeman is able and may dispose of his owne worke wee are the workemanship of God and therefore wee should bee content with his disposing whatsoever it bee sicknesse or health prosperity or adversity Esay 45. 9. it is written Woe be to him that striveth with his maker let the potsheard with the potsheards of the earth Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it What makest thou c and therefore we should labour to be content with Gods disposing whatsoever it be he made all he may dispose of all as it best pleaseth him The second point is What he made he made the heaven and the earth the heavens where God and his Angels be and the lower world where sinfull men and women are he made visible and invisible things and whatsoever is within the compasse of heaven and earth So saith Paul Act. 14. 15. I preach unto you that you should turne from your vaine Idols to the living God who made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is and so it is written Iohn 1. 3. All things were made by it and without it was nothing made that was made The use of this is seeing God made all things take heed we doe not injurie and wrong God with them saith Paul Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid so say you shall wee take the Creatures that God hath made and abuse them and so wrong God God forbid This provokes God to vengeance as it is Hoseah 2. 9. Therefore will I returne and take away my Corne in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof and will recover my flaxe and wooll lent to her to recover her shame therefore if we abuse Gods blessings and turne them to the dishonour of his name he will take them from us Secondly seeing God made all things therefore we should acknowledge them as the gifts of God put into our hands by the Lord and to receive them as from his hands The rivers receive their waters from the sea by secret passages and againe runne into the sea and so carry it backe againe thither in like manner as we receive all from the hands of
would not bee mooved with the bad example of others so if thou be one out of whom Christ hath cast out a devill cast out thy sinnes thou wilt not bee moved with the bad example of others it was Ioshuas resolution howsoever others did yet hee and his houshold would serve the Lord so Mich. 4. 5. it is said For all people will walke every one in the name of his god and wee will walke in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and for ever I have shewed you heretofore when a floud commeth it will carry away straw and light stuffe loose timber moveable things but if they bee rooted then they stand so bad example is like to a streame it carrieth away all loose and moveable things before it but if men bee rooted in grace then they shall stand when others are floating in the streame of evill company therefore if men will perish let them perish labour thou to be rooted in Grace and then thou shalt stand when others are carried away Now from whence did the Wisemen depart from Ierusalem which Ierusalem was a great royall city of the kingdome the glory of the country yet they departed from thence because Christ was not there which must teach us that let the place bee what it will if Christ bee not there it is no place for us to rest in I have shewed you what was Isaacks complaint Father saith he heere is fire and woode but where is the Lambe so when men remoove from one towne to another and finde there are good grounds sweet waters and other good commodities yet let them aske where is the Lambe where is the preaching of the Word so when a servant commeth to a house he may say here is a good master and a good mistresse and good meate but where is the Lambe where is prayer religion reading of the Scriptures and such like therefore as the Wisemen from Ierusalem when they found not Christ departed so wee should depart from such places where wee cannot finde Him or religious dueties performed The second thing was the blessing of God upon their endeavours they saw the starre and it was before them and directed them to the house where the Childe was 1. They saw the Starre 2. It was that which they saw in the East 3. It went before them 4. It went before them till it came to the very house where the Childe was As soone as they were departed and had put themselves upon good meanes when there was not a man to tell them nor one that stirred out to seeke Christ God sent the starre to direct them to the place where Hee was which may teach us that if we endevour and set our selves upon good courses wee shall finde Gods blessing upon us we see Exod. 13. when the Children of Israel put themselves upon their journey the Lord sent them a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to conduct and guide them to the land of Canaan so Act. 8. 28 29. The Eunuch was reading the Scriptures when Philip was sent to expound the meaning of it to him he put himselfe upon a good course and the Lord did blesse him in it the Scripture is plentifull for this Mark 16. women were desirous to see what was become of Christ they set themselves on a good course but they tooke care and were troubled about this who should roule away the stone and behold an Angell came and was sent to roule it away thus wee see how ready the Lord is to blesse our good intentions and therefore let us set our selves upon good endeavours and God will send a pillar or a starre to direct us Thirdly with what affection they received it they rejoyced exceedingly and that for two causes 1. For the appearing of the Starre 2 For the standing of the Starre First for the appearing of the Starre that there was a meanes to guide and direct them to Christ whereas otherwise they might have wandered up and downe and not have found him for they might have gone to Bethlehem and when they were there it may be not have found him therefore they rejoyced for the appearing of the Starre and were glad that there was a meanes to direct them Which should teach us that we should rejoyce and bee glad when we see any starre to direct us to Christ now the Scripture is a starre and the faithfull Ministers bee Starres therefore when wee see the Bible and good Preachers wee should bee glad and rejoyce and blesse God that he hath sent these Starres to direct us to Christ And as Esay saith they shall blesse the messengers of peace Secondly they were glad for the standing of the Starre because they knew that Christ was there for though they had spent a great deale of money and many a weary step in a long journey yet they were exceedingly glad that they had found Christ notwithstanding al their paines and cost so many poore soules are glad after a long search for Christ to finde him and feele the power of his grace in their hearts having a long time sought him in prayer being truely humbled for their sinnes if once they feele the power of his grace in their hearts it makes them rejoyce exceedingly they thinke all their labour well bestowed this way as Iohn 20. wee see how Mary stood by the sepulcher weeping when she had lost Christ but when he came to her and she had found Him she rejoyced exceedingly saying Rabboni O Master as if shee should say O master I am glad that I have found thee As Marriners when they have beene at Sea tossed up and downe in a storme if once they come where they see the shore or land it makes them leape for joy so it is with a Christian when he is tossed up and downe if once he can but see the shore I meane the assurance of his salvation if hee can by faith spy Heaven this will make him to rejoyce exceedingly and lay fast hold on him so Cantic 3. 4. when the Church had lost Christ shee seekes and having found him she catcheth fast hold on him and would not let him goe Now for their behaviour having found Christ First they did worship him which must teach us that we must not despise Christ for his poverty for though they found Him in a poore estate having no court nor traine to attend him yet they did not despise his poverty no more must wee for his poverty is our riches his shame our glory his abasement our exaltation his death our life and as no man is to despise Christ for his poverty so no man should bee offended at he meanenesse of any Christian let their estate and condition be what it will if the Spirit of Christ and the graces of God bee in them wee ought to regard and honour them Secondly they did not onely worship Christ but they did offer to him they did impart their wealth
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
doe not see it Secondly though a Christian fall yet he fals not finally he shall not be forsaken for ever it is but for a little time as Esay 54. 7. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee in a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting kindnesse have I had compassion on thee So in another place it is said Though heavinesse endures for a night yet joy commeth in the morning I have shewed you heretofore that it is with a Christian as with a man in a swound bring a man then to the fire rub and chafe him and put a little Aqua-vitae in his mouth if there be any life in him he will recover againe So it is with a Christian in his fals if he be brought to the meanes to the Word preached to prayer or to the use of the Sacraments if there be the life of grace in him he will recover againe so then God doth not forsake a Christian finally The Vses are First seeing God doth not forsake totally and finally wee may see what a comfortable estate it is to be a true Christian hee may have assurance that God will not forsake him for ever this is an excellent priviledge and prerogative that a Beleever hath his friends and kindred may forsake him but God will never therefore such a man may say by himselfe privately Lord I thanke thee although my friends and my kindred have forsaken mee yet thou hast not on thee I will rely and put my whole confidence in thee for thou hast promised that whilest I trust in thee thou never wilt forsake mee And this is a sweet comfort that a Christian may have a servant may be forsaken of his master as the Amalekite was 1 Sam. 30. 13. and a childe may be forsaken of his mother as Moses was Exod. 2. 3. a husband may forsake his wife one friend another but God will never forsake them that be his servants Secondly seeing God doth not forsake his finally nor totally let us labour to be one of his servants and then we have an evidence that God will not leave us not forsake us a father may forsake his childe a master his servant a land-lord may cast off his tenants but God will not forsake them that doe depend upon him if wee be his servants then wee have an evidence to shew whereby we may assure our selves when all else leave us yet God will not forsake us Thirdly seeing God will not forsake us finally and totally it is a shame for us to forsake him the childe hath greater cause not to forsake the mother than the mother hath to forsake the childe for the childe cannot live without the mother but it is like to starve and perish but the mother can live without the childe so we have greater cause not to forsake God than he hath to forsake us wee cannot live without him and he can be glorified though we were in hell Therefore seeing God hath not forsaken us it is a shame for us to forsake him The third thing is To know what the cause is that God forsakes his people To answer briefly It is for sinne Why is sinne such a great matter that it will make God forsake his creatures I answer it is sinne and nothing but sinne let a mans estate be what it will be never so rich or poore if hee doe not repent his sinnes but live in them and commit them from day to day it will cause God to forsake him therefore art thou poore or rich doe not sinne against God and live in it without repentance for it will make God to depart from thee For looke what was the cause that God did forsake his owne Sonne the same will make him forsake thee Now sin was the impelling cause that made God forsake his Son for when he found our sinne upon him by imputation he forsooke him awhile therefore consider with thy selfe if God would not spare sin but punish it upon his owne Sonne though it were but imputed to him then it is sure if he finde sinne upon thee he will forsake thee if thou repent not for it for if God spared not the Angels when they had sinned neither spared his owne Sonne when he found our sinnes imputed unto him surely he will not spare thee unlesse thou repent howsoever thou do not find it in time of health and peace yet when the day of death or the day of judgment commeth thou shalt see thy selfe forsaken of God O that the wicked would consider this that if they live in their sinnes and doe not repent God wil forsake them It was sinne that made God depart away from his Temple and from his own house as Ezek. 8. 6. saith God Sonne of man seest thou not what they doe even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here to cause me to depart from my Sanctuarie So we see that sinne made God to forsake his owne house and the place that he had appointed for his owne glory if wee provoke him by our sinnes he will depart from us unlesse we repent Fourthly How a Christian should cary himselfe when he finds himselfe to be forsaken of God This may we see in the famous and memorable example of Christ for looke how Christ carried himselfe when he was in shew forsaken of God so should we carry our selves when we likewise finde our selves forsaken of him Now Christ carried himselfe 1. Mournefully for he did in that bitternesse come to God 2. Patiently he did not murmure or grudge against God 3. Holily First he carrieth himselfe mournefully he did bitterly complaine to God when he saw himselfe to be forsaken Now as Christ carried himselfe mournefully when he saw himselfe to be forsaken of God so wee should mourne and bitterly complaine to â—od when we see our selves forsaken of him as 1 Sam. 7. 2. wee see the people of Israel lamented after the Arke twenty yeeres together all the while being without it so we should weepe and lament many daies together so long as we finde our selves forsaken of God Ioh. 20. when Mary had lost Christ shee seekes for him and standeth weeping by his Sepulcher saith Christ to her Woman why weepest thou to which she answered they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him I have good cause to weepe they have taken him away or I have lost him in whom I have laid up all my hope comfort and joy so a Christian man or woman may say when he findes himselfe forsaken of God I have good cause to weepe and mourne many a-day together for I have lost Christ hee is departed from me in whom all my joy and comfort was laid up Secondly Christ did carry himselfe patiently he did not murmure and grudge against God for as a learned man saith these
clothes so we rather than lose the peace of our conscience let all other things fall to the ground As a man in a shipwracke hee never thinkes of his losses but is well contented if hee can save his life hee is thankfull to God and rejoyceth that he himselfe hath escaped so when the time of trouble and persecution is let us not thinke of our losses if we can escape with the peace of our conscience let us bee thankfull to God it is the course of the world that if any strange disease fall upon their children or their cattell they say they are bewitched when as indeed it is their sinnes that doth bewitch them and what doe they then say they have been damnified by a bad witch therefore they must goe to a good witch to have helpe and sometimes they doe so losing thereby the peace of their consciences but rather than we should doe so let us lose children and cattell and all before we lose Gods favour and the peace of conscience Matth. 10. our Saviour saith to his Disciples Bee yee wise as Serpents Now this is the wisdome of the Serpent that he will take a wound any where rather than on his head because life lieth there so rather than we should lose Christ let us lose all because Christ is our life Thus this young man teacheth us wisdome who rather than hee would betray Christ lost his garments and ran away SERMON XVII MARKE 14. 55 56. And the Chiefe Priests and all the Councell sought for witnesse against Iesus to put him to death and found none For many bare false witnesse against him but their witnesse agreed not together THe Apprehension of Christ we spake of the last day Now wee are to speake of his Arraignement for though Christ might have beene killed in the tumult yet he was preserved In the Arraignment of Christ we observe three things 1. The persons before whom he was Arraigned 2. The causes for which he was Arraigned 3. The manner of his Arraignment First The persons before whom he was arraigned Annas and Caiphas the two high Priests it is worth our observation that these Priests were gathered together early in the morning for they could not be at rest till they had apprehended and condemned him no question there were a number of other Priests with them at the same time who would not in all probabilitie have beene hired for any money to come out of their warme beds to have done good but to condemne Christ they are up all night and that a cold night too so it is a corruption still that men cannot abide to sit up about any good duties of religion to repent of their sinnes to pray to God to speake of good things then they are asleepe straight but to sit up long at dice and cards and other pastimes this is their delight Luke 5. we see the Disciples when they were fishing they could hold out and not sleepe but when they came to pray with Christ in the Garden they were straight asleepe and there also Matth. 26. Iudas he slept not but was busie about his market with the Priests consulting to take him it is said of such Prov. 4. 16. That they cannot sleepe except they have done evill and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall Now this diligence in the Priests should teach us diligence in the performing of good duties for if they would spend whole nights to bring their wicked purposes to passe oh how diligent should we be to performe service to God Marke 1. 35. we see our Saviour arose early in the morning to pray and yet how slow are wee who cannot get up an houre after Sunne in the morning to performe good duties Secondly the causes why Christ was arraigned were three first that wee might not be arraigned and condemned as the day of judgement for he stood in our roome interposed himselfe for us and was contented to be taken of the Iewes to be led away arraigned and condemned and to dye for us therefore a Christian beleever may have comfort that seeing Christ was arraigned for him before men hee shall not be arraigned before God as Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus c. and againe in the same Chap. vers 35. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that justifieth who shall condemne so Ioh. 3. He that beleeveth in me shall not perish but shall have everlasting life therefore if we beleeve we have a certificate from God that wee shall not bee condemned when the devill is ready to accuse us and to say thou art a vile sinner and thou must come before God to bee arraigned and condemned for thy sinnes we must not deny the matter but say it is true Sathan I am a great and grievous sinner against God but Christ was arraigned and condemned for me and though I suffer not in my owne person yet Christ hath for me and therefore it shall not be required at my hands Secondly that he might have compassion and pitty on them that suffer and be arraigned for good causes as Heb. 4. 15. saith the Apostle For we have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort as we are yet without sinne therefore seeing Christ was arraigned doe not thou doubt but if thou bee arraigned for a good cause Christ will releeve thee and shew compassion on thee as Pauls experience was 2 Tim. 4. 17. And I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion c. This hath made good men confident to hold out in trouble as Dan. 3. when the king would have had the three Children to have worshipped the image which hee had made say they we are not carefull to answer thee in this matter behold our God whom we serve is able to deliver us so Act. 4. when the Apostles were brought before the governors and forbidden to preach they said They could not but speake the things they had heard and seene therefore as Saint Cyprian saith a Christian may be killed but cannot be overcome because he that is in them is greater than he that is in the world Thirdly that we might set up a throne in our owne hearts and arraigne our selves of sinne for Christs arraignement must teach us to arraigne sinne as he was killed so we must kill sinne as Christ was buried so wee must bury sinne to which purpose it is said 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord so our judgement is to prevent the judgement of the Lord. Thus many good men have in holy Scripture arraigned themselves as Iob If saith he I should justifie my selfe yee then would condemne me David 2 Sam. 24. 17. It is I that have sinned but these sheepe what have they done so the Church
well at first and have the successe we desire yet we must not give over but to it againe and againe It is the sinne of the world that if things doe not succeed well at the first they give over a good cause and are discouraged as Hag. 1. when the Iewes were hindered from building the Temple straight-way they left off so men be quickly discouraged in good courses but it must be the wisdome of a Christian though things doe not succeed presently yet to goe on againe and againe This was the wisdome of Pilate and must be our wisdome also as it is observed of the Spider that although she be hindered in her labour and one come with a broome and sweepe downe her web she will up againe the next day so this must be the wisdome of a Christian though he doe not succeed well in a good course and in his labours at first yet he must not give over but to it againe and againe as long as there is life in him The third time when he laboured to free Christ was when hee joyned Christ and Barabbas together thinking by this meanes they would have rather freed Christ than Barabbas neverthelesse when he saw this would not prevaile he asked But what evill hath he done I finde no fault in him it is against my conscience to put him to death therefore he takes water and washes his hands but yet he could not cleare himselfe from the bloud of Christ all the water in the sea was not able to wash him cleane Now there be some that have their hands as deepe as Pilate in the bloud of Christ I doe not say it of my selfe but the Apostle Paul tels us as much Hebr. 6. 5 6. That they which have tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come If they fall away it is impossible that they should be renewed againe by repentance seeing they crucifie afrosh to themselves the Sonne of God and put him to an open shame And Hebr. 10. 26. If we sinne wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne c. Therefore if thou hast beene inlightned and hast tasted of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come take heed how thou commit sin wittingly and willingly against thy knowledge judgement against the light of Grace shining in thy heart and lye in it without repentance thou dost no better than crucifie the Sonne of God and so hast thy hands as deepe in the bloud of Christ as Pilate had so when thou livest in thy sins in the light of the Gospell art a drunkard a whoremaster a prophane person a bad liver take heed thou hast thy hands in the bloud of Christ The fourth time was when they cried Crucifie him crucifie him I but Pilate would not doe it and yet he was the Magistrate who had power in his hands to doe it which must teach us that although there bee a power in our hands to doe hurt unto our neighbours yet wee must not doe it as it is Proverb 3. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it Although thou be mighty yet God is mightier than thou and thou canst not deliver thy selfe from him Now these foure times did Pilate labour to cleare Christ which shewes his innocencie that he died an innocent man and that not for himselfe but for us therefore never doubt but that he hath made expiation and satisfaction for thee by his death Now there were foure particular Meanes that Pilate used to deliver Christ but before we come to speake of them we will answer a doubt or two that may arise First Whether Pilate did well to seeke to deliver Christ seeing that Peter was reproved and reprehended for the same thing Secondly Whether Pilate did well to labour to free Christ seeing it did crosse the will of God for it was the will of God that he should die To the first I answer That Pilate did well to seeke to deliver Christ but Peter did not well because hee did not seeke to deliver Christ by good meanes and in due order but hee would have delivered him by resisting and fighting for him therefore it was a sinne to him but Pilate sought to deliver him by good meanes and in due order threfore it was no sinne in him Againe Peter he knew the mystery of mans redemption therefore it was a sinne in him but Pilate was ignorant of it who tooke him to be but an innocent man therefore Pilate did well do deliver Christ To the scond I answer the will of God is two-fold 1. The will of his Decree 2. The will of his Commandement The will of his Decree is the disposing of every particular man and of the whole world to his best pleasure and can by no meanes be resisted The will of his Commandement is what he would have us to doe Now it was the will of God indeed that Christ should die but it was the will of his Decree for the will of his Commandement was that when he brought Christ into the world all men should kisse him seeke to him for his favour and doe him all the honour that might bee therefore Pilate did well in endevouring to deliver Christ Now to draw this downe lower to our selves it may be it is the will of God we should be poore or that we should be rich therefore must we not be idle and doe nothing for this is the will of Gods Decree which is secret to himselfe but the revealed will of God the will of his Command is that every man should eat his bread in the sweat of his face and apply himselfe to the means notwithstanding that God hath appointed But to returne to the meanes that Pilate used for Christs deliverance The first meanes that Pilate used to deliver Christ was Loquendo by speaking for him And when did hee speake for him marry when all the world was silent which is a worthy example for us to follow to speake for Christ and in his cause for the Gospell though all the world should be silent or else Pilate shall rise up in the day of Iudgement and condemne us for if we be silent in the cause of Christ and holy religion before men he will also be silent at the day of Iudgement for us before his heavenly Father and if we speak in the cause of Christ before men and in the cause of religion he will also speake for us at the day of Iudgement before his heavenly Father Gen. 41. wee see that Pharaohs Butler did dreame a dreame which Ioseph did interpret for which all that Ioseph did request in recompence of him was that he would make mention of him to Pharaoh so our good Ioseph hath done much for us and shewed us great kindnesse for
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
extremitie as theirs was that we are readie to die presently yet because sentence is passed upon us for as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. The body is dead because of sinne let us though death hath not already taken the castle and tower of our hearts yet seeing hee is entered within the walls and suburbs of the citie let us I say therefore be carefull to feare God and to walke conscionably before him for we know not how soone death will take the tower and the castle of our hearts and then we must come to judgement This use Isaak made of this uncertaintie of life I am old saith hee and I know not the day of my death come and let my soule blesse thee before I die so because wee know not the time of our deaths how soone we must come to judgement therefore before we stirre or move a foot let us labour to repent us of our sinnes and convert and turne to God Thirdly Out of what affection he did it out of love to doe good to him for this is the nature of one that is truely converted to draw others to Christ So we see Iohn 1. 41. Andrew said to Simon We have found the Messias which is by interpretation the Christ And Iohn 4. 28. The woman of Samaria when she had beene talking with Christ goeth into the Citie and sayth to the men Come see a man which tould me all things that I ever did Is not this the Christ and so many came to be beleevers In nature we see all naturall things desire to make other things like themselves as fire doth desire to make all thigns that comes neere it fire so water and other living things when they be come to strength of nature then they beget things like unto themselves as a man to beget a man a beast a beast like to himselfe even so it is with a Christian he will labour to make others like to himselfe when he comes to his strength and ripenesse indeed in his weaknesse he doth not but when he commeth to his strength he labours to make others like to himselfe Secondly The confession of his sinne and the punishment due thereunto for first he doth not say thou art here justly to receive things worthy of that thou hast done but hee brings or takes in himselfe Wee are indeed righteously here for we receive the due reward of our deeds This is a note of a man truely converted to God to confesse his sinnes to shame himselfe and give glory to God So if men be converted to God they will not talke of other mens sinnes but they will inclose themselves with others and make confession of their owne sins also therefore when men cloake and hide their sinnes it is a shrewd signe that they are not soundly converted Secondly he confesses that all these punishments and judgements of God are justly upon them this is a good signe of a man that is truly converted to God to cleere the justice of God as the Church Micha 7. 9. I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he pâ—â—d my cause c. So Ezek. 20 43. saith the Prophet speaking of sound conversion And there shall ye remember your wayes and your workes wherin ye have bin defiled and you shall loath your selves in your owne sight for all thâ— evils which ye have committed So we must labour to cleere the justice of God in all our punishments that befall us therefore when men will wrangle and dispute with God and doe not labour to beare with patience the judgements of God that doe befall them it is a signe that such an one is not rightly converted unto God Thirdly His apologie and defence for Christ But this man saith he hath done nothing misse when every man was against him the Governour souldiers and Iewes this poore Theefe could not be silent This is a signe of true conversion when men can beare any thing concerning themselves with patience and silence but if it be against God and his honour they cannot beare it this affection was in Moses for it is said that hee was the meekest man on earth when things concerned himselfe but when the people committed idolatry hee brake the Calfe in peeces and stamped it and made them to drinke of it and he commanded every man to put his sword by his side and to kill his brother Which must teach us that every man in his owne quarrell must bee silent But when the cause concernes God then silence is dangerous and a very great sinne against God Fourthly The prayer that hee made was Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome The other theefe desires to have his body saved to have his paines asswaged and mitigated of which because hee was not eased hee railed on Christ but this Theefe did not desire to have his body saved or his paines mitigated or to have the nailes and spickes pulled out of his hands and feet but he was contented to suffer any paine he cares not what become of his body so his soule may be saved and he may come into Gods kingdome Which must teach us that when we come to die wee should not take care of our bodies but for our soules Lord remember my soule I beseech thee give mee the truth of thy faith give me patience let my body feele and suffer what it may yet let my soule be saved and bring it into thy kingdome and then no matter what become of my body any thing shall content me SERMON XXII LVKE 23. 39 40 41 42 43. And one of the evill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou bee the Christ save thy selfe and us But the other answering rebuked him saying Fearest thou not God seeing thou art in the same condemnation And we indeed righteously for wee receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse And he said Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy Kingdome And Jesus said unto him Verely I say unto thee To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise IN these words wee proposed two things to bee considered first the occasion of the speech secondly the speech it selfe the occasion of the speech was upon the conversion of the theefe at the time of his death Now in the conversion of the theefe wee consider three things first the party that was converted secondly the time when hee was converted thirdly the effects and fruits of his conversion from whence we then spake of many things we will not now repeate but come directly unto that which followes The fourth thing wee began to speake of was his prayer hee made unto Christ in that extremity wherein two things are to be considered 1. The ground of his prayer 2. The prayer it selfe The ground of his prayer is threefold first that hee was perswaded he had a kingdome prepared for him howsoever hee
faâ—le as we see many times men fall in the Streetes by reason of the want thereof according to that Lament 4. 4. where it is said The tongue of the sucking Childe cleaveth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst Thirdly Extremitie of griefe and sorrow that was upon him for mans sin for the Schoolemen say that a sorrowfull heart drieth up the bones And these were the Naturall causes of his thirst All which was to shew that it was not a light matter to redeeme us but it cost him a great deale of pains and sorrow Therefore we must take heed we doe not cast away that for a little ease pleasure or profit that cost so much to redeeme us The Morall causes were First hee thirsted that we might not thirst for such is our sinfulnesse that we deserve not when wee lie on our sicke beds and come to die to have a drop of wine nay we are not worthy of a drop of wine to refresh us nor of cold water to coole us wee that have so many pots to drinke by the pound or by the dozens by the yard the time may come that we cannot have a drop of water to coole us with We see the rich gluiton that in all probability had his tasters and all varietie of daintiest dishes and rarest wines to please his palate in this life being in Hell desires but a droope of water to coole him and could not have it and this is the desert of our sinnes But Christ thirsted that wee might not thirst And therefore wee may say O blessed bee God for the thirst of Christ for it hath procured many a sweete drop for us The second cause that Christ thirsted was to fulfill a Scripture This is a point very observable that all that Christ did was to fulfill the Scriptures which is a phrase very common through the whole Booke of God I will instance onely in the Gospell by Saint Matthew Christ was borne of a Virgin to fulfill the Scripture chap. 1. 22. So also he was borne at Bethlehem chap. 2. 5. He dwelt in Nazareth vers ult Went and dwelt in Capernâ—um chap. 4. 13. onely to fulfill the Scripture and so in many other places both of this and the other Evangelists it is said Christ did so and so that the Scriptures might bee fulfilled whence wee learne this point of instruction That all that Christians doe must be to fulfill a Scripture wee must not looke to our owne ease and to our owne content but wee must carrie our eye to the Scripture to fulfill that This must be the reason why we read why wee heare the Scriptures or come to heare the Word preached why we pray and come to Church why we doe give to the necessitie of the Saints and why we doe the duties of our Callings all to fulfill the Scriptures As Marriners when they be at Sea howsoever the windes blow here and there yet looke to their Card and Compasse and eye that because it is their direction so Christians must doe how ever the winds blow here and there yet they must eye the Scriptures because it is their direction and keepe close to them when prophane wretches the sons of Belial be swilling and drinking doe they eye the Scriptures doe they that they doe to fulfill the Scriptures No verily except it be this Scripture in the 1 Corinth 10. 7. They sate downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play or this Iob 21. 13. They spend their dayes in wealth and suddenly goe downe to the grave so they shall have but small comfort of such fulfilling the Scriptures But let us fulfill the Scriptures as Christ did and then wee shall have comfort in life and death He fulfilled many Scriptures before and had but this one to fulfill so that hee could not be at rest till hee had fulfilled it So when we have fulfilled many Scriptures and be upon our sicke beds if there come one more into our mindes there is such a Scripture to be fulfilled such a neighbor to be reconciled unto or there is some wrong to be righted we should not bee at rest till wee have done it It is the manner of the World if they have fulfilled one or two Scriptures they take a dispensation for the rest if they come to Church in the forenoone they thinke they neede not come in the afternoone If they pray in the morning they may live loosely all the day after If they have done one dutie or two they have done enough But a Christian must doe all the Scripture commands and have an eye to all the commandements of God to doe them As David did I have respect to all thy Commandements and Psa l me 18. for saith he His Lawes are before mee and I did not cast away his Commandements Therefore if a man hath done a number of good duties that the Lord commands him and he remembers one thing that hee hath not done he must labour to doe it for we must not make conscience of some duties and neglect others but ought to make conscience of all the Commandements of God The third cause is that by his thirst wee might learne to be a thirst for all the Actious of Christ on the Crosse are for our example Therefore as Christ thirsted for water so we should thirst for the Spirit of grace As he said I thirst so a Christian man must say O good neighbour I thirst but what dost thou thirst for not for wine and strong beare but I thirst for Iesus Christ for sanctified graces faith repentance the pardon of my sinnes for Heaven and happinessse and for Gods favour Augustine saith there be divers thirsts in the world some thirst after wine strong drink some after goods and lands some after honour and preferment some after pleasure and some after blood But thou O man doe thou thirst after Heaven and happinese be athirst for Gods favour for the pardon of thy sinnes and for righteousnesse and then thou shalt bee satisfied for our Saviour saith Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Indeede there bee a number of Christians in the World every one of whom hath his thirst the covetous man after his goods the hatefull man for revenge but the Christian man he must thirst for Gods favour So David saith My soule thirsteth after thee c. therefore howsoever the men of the world thirst after lands and livings thou that art a Christian must thirst after Iesus Christ and for the pardon of thy sins and thou shalt bee satisfied when they with the rich glutton in Hell shall thirst and have not a droppe of water to refresh them or coole them Secondly how Christ carried himselfe in his thirst hee complained and cryed out and said I thirst which may teach us that the people of God are not stockes and blockes but they have sense and
redeemed us by his Sonne not onely by his life but by his death also And therefore as S. Andrew saith I am more beholding to thee O Lord for the worke of my redemption by the death of thy Sonne than for the power by which I was created therefore if a man should be thankfull for his creation much more should he be for the worke of his redemption for it was a marvellous love of Christ the hee tooke our nature upon him to come into the world to worke our redemption to lose his life to finish and perfect it and therefore how thankefull ought we to be for so great a mercy Secondly seeing our redemption and salvation is perfected and finished by the death of Christ wee may see the grievousnesse and greatnesse of our sinnes that when we had sinned against God all the powers in heaven and earth could not doe it but it must bee Christ that eternall Sonne of God and it was not with his life only but with his death wee thinke much of suffering any little affliction or trouble but Christ must die to expiate sinne and to abolish it whereas neither Angels nor Archangels nor all the Saints and holy men in the world could have done it therfore seeing Christ paid so deare for it we must take heed we doe not account it a light matter to sinne Therefore let us take heed how we grieve him by our sinne seeing hee was contented to lose his life and to shed his heart blood for us SERMON XXV LVKE 23. 46. And when Iesus had cryed with a loud voyce hee said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And having said thus he gave up the ghost OF the seven last words which Christ spake on the crosse this is the last which containes an holy Resignation of the soule and spirit of Christ into the hands of his Father wherein something in generall and something in particular is to bee considered The generall is this That all the speeches and words that Christ did speake on the crosse from the first to the last were holy and good so hee did not onely begin well but did end well also he made an holy close of his life when he came to breathe out his last breath which must teach us what the care of a Christian should be when he is in sicknesse and trouble not onely to begin well but to continue well till he come to dye and breathe out his last breath and then to make an holy close of his life this is that which Christ speaketh of Mat. 24. Hee that continueth unto the end shall bee saved and the spirit of God Revel 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull to the death and I will give thee a crowne of life An Archer though hee ayme and draw well yet if hee in the loose let his hand slip or sinke downe he will be wide of the marke so though we begin and ayme well yet if we start aside or sinke downe when wee come to die wee lose all our glory therefore it must bee our care not onely to begin but to end well also It is in sanctified motions as it is with wheeles that bee swiftest at the first and afterwards slower and slower till the wheele stand still so it is in sanctified motions they bee swiftest at the first and afterward by little and little they abate till at last they dye if they bee not supplied by good meanes therefore it is good not onely to begin well but also to end well too when we breathe out our last breath Iohn 2. Christ set out the best wine at the last But quite contrary it is the manner of the world to bee best at first and worst at last with the people of God it must not be so for if there bee any worst it must bee the first and the best at the last Indeed it is the fashion of the world to begin well and to end ill but the people of God must not doe so they must not onely begin well but also continue well and end well and so make an holy close of their life when they breathe out their last breath and when they shut up their eyes from the light of this world they may see the kingdome of heaven The next thing to be considered is the practice of Christ when hee came to dye In which observe five things 1. To whom he commended his spirit to his Father 2. What it was he commended his spirit 3. When he commended his spirit at the instant of his death 4. Vpon what ground he commended his spirit upon a perswasion that he was his Father 5. What comfort wee may have by the commending of his spirit into the hands of his Father First to whom hee commended his spirit the Text sheweth to his Father When we be alive we commend our selves to our friends in hope of comfort but when we come to die we must commend ourselves to God only therefore as Christ when hee came to dye shut up his eyes and did not looke upon his mother nor his disciples nor upon any beloved but hee did wholly commend himselfe into the hands of his Father in hope of comfort so when wee come to dye wee must shut up our eyes and not comfort our selves in our wives children friends and those we love deareliest but we must commend our soules into the hands of God Yea the people of God have good cause to doe so in regard he is all in all to us as David saith Psal 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee therefore hee cast himselfe upon God in hope of comfort so a man while he liveth may have many friends to commend himselfe to but when hee commeth to dye there is none but God that we can commend our soules to Therefore seeing no man hath any body to commend his soule to at last but God onely it must be our wisedome to keepe God our friend for if we despise him in our health it is just with him to despise and reject us when we come to die We read Iudg 10. 14. when the Children of Israel had forsaken the Lord and followed Baalam and Astaroth and served them in their distresse when they came and cried to God to save them out of the hands of their enemies the Lord said unto them Goe and crie unto the gods whom ye have chosen Let them save you in the time of your tribulation In like manner the Lord will say to us when wee have despised him in the time of our health and have followed our pleasures profits and our old sinnes goe and crie unto the gods whom yee have served see if your money will save and helpe you you that have made your pleasures your belly and your sinnes your God now see if these will helpe you for if ye despised God in your life time it is just with
would have beene squeamish to have taken downe the dead body of Christ in his owne armes to have soyled and foyled himselfe with the bloud that came out of his wounds but the true love hee did beare to Christ made him doe it so if there bee true love in us to Christ we will not bee squeamish to doe any meane service and duty for him and his members wee will not be squeamish to come to their sick beds to comfort and relieve them wee see a mother through the love she hath to her childe will stoope to doe any meane service and duty that another woman would be somewhat squeamish of so if there bee true love to Christ in us it will make us doe any service and duty to the meanest of Christ members even to do that which another would scorn S. Iierom saith O man when thou goest to the sicke beds of thy neighbours thou art somewhat squeamish and thou makest a sowre face at it consider with thy selfe that thou art made of the same element and the same thing that is befallen him thou mightest have suffered thinke his sorrowes and paines to be thine owne and then thou wilt not be so squeamish Secondly they were Disciples yet but weake Disciples Ioseph was a secret Disciple but for feare of the Iewes hee durst not shew his face openly in that profession and Nicodemus hee came to Christ by night now these were weake Disciples and yet in the greatest disgrace stood to Christ when Iudas had betraied Christ and Peter had denyed him and all the rest of the Disciples were fled from him which may teach us not to despise our weake brethren but to thinke humbly of our selves and to carry our selves lowly for these weake ones may stand to Christ and to the profession of holy Religion when great learned men shrinke men of great graces therefore wee should not despise our weake brethren as Paul exhorts Rom. 14. 4. who art thou that condemnest another mans servant hee standeth or falleth to owne Lord and master yea hee shall be established for God is able to make him stand Now I doe not speake this to nourish any one in his weakenesse for it is a good thing to speake boldly in the cause of Christ who saith he that denyeth me before men I will denie him before God There is a pretty story in the booke of Martyrs of two Protestants that were doctors of Divinity in the dayes of King Edward saith one of them I am afraid I shall not have courage to stand out for Religion in the time of persecution I thinke I cannot burne for Religion saith the other knowing that I doe know if I had one hundred lives I would give them and be contented to lose them in the cause of Christ well the time of persecution came and the strong man became a Papist and the weakest remained a Protestant although he did not burne for it but dyed in his bed therefore the strong must carry themselves humbly and lowly and not despise their weake brethren but pray to God that they may shew love to Christ in the time of greatest troubles Now what was it that made them performe this duty to Christ this consideration that they had heard Christ preach unto them and had not profited by it that hee was entertained into many of their houses but not into their hearts and now that thay had taken Christ and killed him if ever they will shew their love to him now they must doe it or never this consideration made them hold and stand to Christ when others did shrinke Now the same thing must worke upon us the like effect we have heard the Gospell a long time yet have profited little by it whereas we might have growne in grace and have beene teachers of others still we remaine ignorant the more shame for us we should rather reason thus I grow old and I know not how soone the day of my death will come now is the time where in I should get grace the time wherein I should get knowledge it must bee now or never this consideration may stirre us up to shew love to Christ and to his members The next point is the place where Christ was buryed and this is to bee considered in divers circumstances 1 That it was another mans grave 2 That this grave was Iosephs grave 3 That it was a new grave wherein never any man was laid 4 It was in a Garden First it was another mans grave that Christ was buryed in for hee was so poore that he had not a grave of his own we see that poore men though they have not an house to hide their heads in yet they have a grave to bury themselves in but Christ was so poore he had not a grave of his owne to bury himselfe in neither was it onely in his death but also in his whole life for when Christ was borne he was borne in another mans house when he preached hee preached in another mans ship and when he prayed he prayed in another mans garden when hee eat the women ministred unto him when he did ride to Ierusalem he did ride on another mans Asse when he was buryed he was buryed in another mans grave he had nothing peculiar to himselfe but his crosse which no man would touch much lesse take from him for they compelled Simon of Syrene to beare it all which may teach us that Christ hath sanctified a poore estate to us so that if a man be never so poore and meane let him be contented with it and labour to be Gods servant that he may say of him Behold my servant and behold my sonne then this poore estate is sanctified to thee Secondly Christ was buried in another mans grave to shew that hee would come in a neerer conjunction with us That hee would not onely take our nature upon him come into our houses and eate at our Tables but hee would also lye in our graves with us it is a great love that a woman heares to her husband that shee will be contented to forsake her fathers house and leave her kindred and go and dwell with her husband but it is a farre greater love when shee will follow him into the prison and downe into the dungeon so it is a great love of Christ that he would take our nature upon him come into our houses and feede at our tables But it is a farre greater love that he would go into the grave with us and lie there troden downe of death that so he might give life to our dead bodies Secondly this grave was Iosephs now Ioseph was a rich man as wee have heard and this was to fulfill that Scripture Esay 53. 9. where the Prophet foretold it Hee made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death on the crosse contemned and despised but in the grave he was honoured so it is with a Christian so
though a great deale of sorrow and misery befall him yet one day hee shall see God with his eyes so also David saith Psal 16. 9. Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption and more over this was that comfort that Christ gave to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. when hee told them of his passion And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe Now that which comforted Iob David and Christ must comfort us for as Christ did rise so all his members shall rise and therefore let us conjoyne our selves to Christ whilest wee live here that so wee may dye with Christ and let us lay our selves under him in the grave I meane our lusts and sinnes and then as Christ rose so we shall rise but if thou doe not conjoyne thy selfe with Christ in his death and lye under him in the grave then Christ shall rise and thou shalt lie still in the grave nay it were well if it might bee so for thou shalt rise againe but Christ shall rise to glory and thou to shame Christ shall rise to possesse eternall life and thou eternall death Secondly we shall not onely rise out of the grave but we shall also rise out of trouble for as there is a power of Christ to pull us out of the grave so there is a power of Christ to raise us out of trouble It is an opinion in the World that there is a power of Christ to raise them out of the grave yet they doe not know that there is also a power of Christ to raise them out of their troubles but howsoever this is unknowne to the world yet it should be knowne to a Christian To which effect the Apostle speakes 2 Corinth 4. 10. We alwaies beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall bodies And vers 14. saith he knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also by Iesus and shall present us with you These words are to be understood of raising them out of trouble to comfort them in this world And so 2 Tim. 2. 9. Remember saith he that Iesus Christ made of the seede of David was raised againe from the dead Remember this you that suffer for good causes that as Christ was raised so you shall be raised to comfort and joy out of your troubles so these be the reasons why it was needefull Christ should rise First To assure us that our sinnes are expiated and pardoned Secondly To apply Salvation Thirdly To be an undoubted evidence to us that we shall rise out of the grave and out of our troubles in this world Secondly The time when hee did rise againe and that is exactly set downe the third day according as Christ foretold in the 2 of Iohn I will destroy this Temple and in three daies I will build it againe and Matth. 20 19. the place before mentioned and they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe and so in this place which I read unto you that he was buried and that hee rose the third day according to the Scriptures Now there is reason why hee rose no sooner and there is reason why he rose no later as that being the fittest time for him to rise in of which I will speake at this time First Because that it might he an evidence to the Iewes that he was truely dead for if he had risen the first day or the second then they would have thought he had beene in a trance or in a sound onely and therefore to cleare this point he did not rise till the third day because all the hope of the pardon of our sinnes hangs on the death of Christ and all the hope of Gods favor and therefore he would have this point sealed to the World and this was the first reason why Christ rose no sooner Secondly That the Disciples might have an evidence of the power of the death of Christ for there was a greater power in Christ to rise againe when he had beene possessed and vanquished of death three dayes than if he had rose the first day And Augustine saith that Christ did more shew his power in rising from death when they had killed him than hee should have done if he had come downe from the Crosse when they â—ad him so there was a greater power of Christ seene in rising the third day than if he should have risen the first day or the second it was a greater matter that hee should recover when all hope was passed the widdowes sonne in the Gospell was raised when he lay upon the Beere to bee carried to burying Entichus when he fell out of the window and the dead man assoone as he did touch the dead bones of Elisha but Christ recovered when hee had beene three dayes together vanquished of death and this doth shew the great power of Christ Thirdly To teach us Christians patience that if wee doe not arise out of trouble the first day or the second yet still to waite with christian patience till the third day that is many dayes together till the time that God hath appointed Therefore if wee be not raised out of trouble so soone as wee desire let us not murmure or grudge against God and be impatient but quiet our selves with the good will of God and waite with patience till the time he hath appointed for our deliverance It is the manner of the world if they be in their troubles but a day or two they say how long Lord how long as if they tarried too long but the patience of Christ must teach us patience and to quiet our selves with the good will of God so David did Psal 123. As the eyes of a servant looke to his master and the eyes of a Mayden to her Mistris so our eyes wait on thee till thou shew mercie and though it be not to day nor to morrow yet we waite on thee till thou shew mercie yee remember that Christ Iesus said to Marie when there wanted wine My houre is not yet come There be two houres God hath his houre and wee have our houre our houre is as soone as wee stand in neede but Christs houre is to helpe when all meanes faile there be many that desire ease and peace and comfort but we must tarrie Christs houre wee must waite with Christian patience till the third day come So much for the reasons why Christ rose no sooner now wee are come to speake why hee arose no later The first reason is To shâ—w that if he had deferred it any longer the Iewes might have
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
in the comparison I shewed you a little before though a man turne his backe upon the Sunne and goe away from it yet the Sunne followes him with his heat light and beames so when we are going away from Christ he followes us with his kindnesse and followes us with his goodnesse and mercie so Christ did manifest himselfe to these two Disciples when they were going from him therefore let us thinke of the kindnesse and goodnesse of Christ Esay 55. saith the Lord I was found of them that sought me not It is a great mercy of God that he will be found of them that seeke him but a greater mercy that when men goe away from him and have not a thought of him then he to seeke after them The second circumstance is that although they were going from Christ and from Ierusalem yet they were talking of him by the way there was some sparkes and seeds of goodnesse left Now this Towne they went to was not a Towne of Religion though a Countrie Towne and it is very like that they went about country businesse yet as they went by the way they talked of Christ 〈◊〉 must teach us what manner of talke a Christian must have though 〈…〉 worldly businesse going to a Faire or to a Market or any other journey We read 2 Kings 2. 11. when Elias and Elisha went together they went walking and talking till a firie Chariot came and parted them tooke away Elias and left Elisha on his calling And what were they talking of not of money matters but of immortalitie and of Heavenly things so in the Acts when the Eunuch was on his way riding in his Chariot and had no body to talke with hee puls out his Bible and would have God to talke with him and to this end Deuter. 6. 7. wee have a Commandement from God to speake of his Word When wee rise when we lie downe when we goe by the way and when we be at our meate Thus Psal 37. 30. David saith The mouth of the righteous will speake of wisedome and his talke will be of judgement and he gives a reason of it because the Law of God is in his heart so a righteous mans mouth will speake of good things hee will be talking of Religion If a man have a Spring in his ground hee can hardly hold it but it breakes foorth into other grounds in like manner if there be a spring of grace and of goodnesse in a mans heart he cannot hold it but it will breake foorth and flow out to others therefore when men goe up and downe and never speake of the Word it shewes there is not a Spring of grace in them It is a good thing for a Christian to talke of Christ and of the worke of Redemption and of the great things that God hath prepared for them even when they are about their worldly businesse and labors and if it be a good thing to speake of Christ and of the Word when we be about our labors and businesse then it is much better to talke of the Word when we come from a Sermon and from hearing the Word preached on the Sabbath day or at other times Nehem. 8. 1◠It is said The people rejoyced that they had heard the law read unto them and that they did understand the sense of it so when wee heare the Word of God preached we should goe away rejoycing that we have heard it and understood the sense of it Luk. 2. 44. When they returned from Ierusalem from the feast they went in Troopes and a great company together the reason was because they might speake of the good things that they had heard so it is a Christians dutie to goe in companies together to conferre of the good things they have heard We see when men come from the Sea they will speake of the Sea or from the Warre they will speake of the Warre or from the Market they will talke of the Market and if men have beene at their worke they will talke of their worke but many times wee goe to a Sermon and speake not a word of that the Marriner may speake of the Sea the Souldier of his Warre the Husbandman of his Markets but it is a pittifull thing that Christians will not speake of the good things they have heard out of the Word of God There be three causes why men doe not speake of it The first a prophane contempt of God and goodnesse because they desire to have as little to doe with him as may be as the divels Matth. 8. 29. cryed out and said What have wee to doe with thee Iesus thou Sonne of God so they say What have we to doe with God and goodnesse and as in Iob 21. 15. the wicked said who is the Almightie that we should serve him and what profit should we have if we should pray to him The second is want of caution that 〈…〉 watchfull over their wayes but suffer a great deale of idle speech to come from them as the waste water of a conduit for many men doe not consider that they shall answere for every idle word not onely for the bad words but for the idle also that tend to no good end Wee see in a conduit there is not onely a pipe to let out the water but a cocke also to hold it in so we must have a cocke as it were to keepe in our speeches therefore as David praieth Psal 141. 3. Lord set a watch before the doore of my lips so we must goe to God and pray him to set a watch before the doore of our lips The third is want of love to our brethren because wee doe not love them therefore wee doe not speake of good things to them for if wee did love them then wee would be ready to impart the good things that God hath made knowne to us The second generall point is how he did manifest himselfe unto them and that was first when they were talking of Christ by the way then hee came and did joyne himselfe unto them Here wee see the blessing of God upon good talke let men talke of Christ when they be going on their way and when they be at their labours when they be journeying and they shall finde the blessing of God upon their speeches therefore wouldest thou have Christ present at thy table and at thy labors and as thou goest by the way then speake of him for there is such a drawing power in good speech as it will draw Christ to thee and let us speake of him and of Religion and then we shall finde the blessing of God upon us but as long as there is filthy speech and cursing amongst us Christ will not come to us but that will drive him away from us Secondly in the manner we may observe that Christ did manifest himselfe and they did not know of it their eyes were
now to proceede to the uses but before wee come to them give mee leave to shew you two reasons why we are so slow to beleeve the Scriptures 1. Nobilitas Objecti The noblenesse of the Object 2. Debilitas Subjecti The weakenesse of the Subject The first is Nobilitas Objecti the noblenesse of the Object for the Scriptures are the wisedome of God which wisedome goeth infinitely beyond our reach being of such infinite excellencie that we cannot attaine the height of them for as the Philosophers say that a thing exceeding sensible doth destroy the senses as too much light doth destroy the sight too much cold doth benumme the senses too much heate doth consume us too much noyse doth make one deafe so the wisdome of God being of so great excellency above us that it transcends the capacitie of our understandings cannot be apprehended by us and therefore we are slow to beleeve the Scriptures Secondly Debilitas subjecti The weakenesse of the subject the Scriptures excellency and the dulnesse of our apprehension makes us slow to beleeve for nature cannot worke above her power but the wisedome of God is above the power of nature for as the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that be of God because there must be a power above nature to make us to understand and beleeve them therefore as the woman of Samaria saith Iohn 4. The Well is deepe and I have nothing to draw with so we may say The Scriptures are deepe and we have not any thing to found them with therefore wee are slow to beleeve them Now the uses to be made of this first point are First seeing wee are so slow to beleeve the Scriptures no man neede to marvell though wee see so few converted or so few beleeve for every man hath a let in his owne nature therefore no marvell though so few beleeve Let a man fling a narrow-mouth bottle into the sea and if the mouth bee downeward it will receive no water so wee are like narrow-mouthed bottles for although we bee in an Ocean sea of good meanes yet we cannot receive it we have a let at home in our selves Secondly seeing wee are slow to beleeve the scriptures seeing wee have such a let in our selves at home therefore it must bee our care to take the more paines and to labour with our hearts that so we may beleeve the Scriptures If a man have nothing but greene wood hee must take the more paines to blow it and to lay it together that so it may burne so seeing our hearts are like unto greene wood wee must take the more paines with them to make them beleeve the Scriptures Secondly by informing of them and two things hee doth informe them of 1. Of the Necessitie of his suffering 2. The good Vse and utilitie of the same First that it is needfull that Christ should suffer and secondly that by suffering hee must enter into his glorie and thereby seeing this was the way for Christ to enter into his glory he takes away the scandall of the Crosse First It was of necessitie that Christ must suffer now the necessity was not in himselfe for he might have gone to glory the same houre he came into the World because it was hereditary to him but in regard of us for it was the good of us that made a necessitie and put this upon him Therefore Paul saith Ephes 5. 2. He gave himselfe for us and Heb. 2. Hee tasted of death for all men therefore he suffered not for himselfe but it was for us One askes the question What is the reason that Christ cals it his glory and answers he cals it so in regard of us for he could have gone some other way but we should have beene left heere therefore it was needfull in regard of us and that by reason of a double necessitie 1. The Necessitie of paying the price of Mans Redemption 2. The Necessitie of good Example The first was The Necessitie of paying the price of Mans Redemption because when we have sinned such is the Iustice of God that either we must suffer in our own persons or we must suffer in the person of Christ either Christ must suffer or wee therefore when the wrath of God was ready to seaze upon us it pleased Christ to suffer for us and to satisfie the Iustice of God We may remember by this occasion that which I have shewed heretofore that Oâ—esimus after he ran away from his master Paul converts and sends him home againe to his Master with a letter in his hand to this effect Receive him againe if hee have done thee any wrong set it on my score I will answere it so wee are run away from God and Christ hath sent us backe againe with a letter as it were in our hands to this effect Father admit them and receive them into thy favour make them partakers of thy glorie If they have done thee any wrong or ought thee any thing set it on my score I will answere it I Iesus have written it not with penne and Inke but with mine owne blood and therefore we see it was needfull that Christ should suffer to pay the price of mans Redemption Secondly it was needfull that Christ should suffer in regard of good exâ—â—ple for no man would goe to Heaven through so many troubles unlesse Christ had gone before them Saint Peter saith Christ hath suffered leaving us an example therefore did hee goe through all these troubles and shames that we might be contented to follow him If a Man goe through bushes briers rugged waies through dens and caves and rockes if hee finde the footesteps of his loving friend this giveth him comfort so seeing we finde the footesteps of Christ in these afflictions we may bee bold to goe on that way and therefore it was of necessitie that Christ must suffer as well in regard of good example as to pay the price of mans redemption what man then hath cause to be offended at the scandall of the crosse seeing it was so needfull that Christ should suffer these things I but some Man may say Was it of necessitie that Christ should suffer so many things that his head should be crowned with thornes that his backe should be whipped his face buffeted his sides pierced and hee himselfe at last to die such a shamefull death as on the crosse I answer it was needfull that Christ should suffer all these things which we have spoken of for if hee had suffered lesse then it would have done us no good Mans sinnes were so hatefull in the eyes of God that hee must suffer all these things howsoever the Friers say that one drop of the blood of Christ was enough to redeeme us yea all Men yet it cost Christ all his bloud to redeeme Man for when Man had sinned all the Angels or Archangels in Heaven
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
to the good of them because the government is in his hands Wee see in experience when there is a cunning Pilot set at the stearne of a ship though it bee tossed with the waves and troubled with winds yet hee will carry the ship safe into the harbour even so as long as Iesus Christ is our Pilot and sits at the sterne of heaven though there be many winds and waves beate on the ship that is though there be many troubles and afflictions that doe arise yet he safely brings both soule and body to the haven or harbour of rest It is a good meditation that the learned have out of Matth. 8. the Disciples were in a ship at sea where arose a great tempest so that the waves beate on the ship which was in danger whilest Christ was asleepe in the ship Then they cried to him and awaked him and he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calme so say they the Church is compared to a ship and this world to the sea the troubles and afflictions of this life to the winds and waves that beate upon the ship and indanger it therefore we must doe as the Disciples did runne to Christ awake him by our praiers and stirre him up by our repentance and then he will arise and rebuke the winds and the sea and there shall he a great calme therefore in all the troubles and rages of the world we are to consider that Christ sits at the right hand of God and hath the government of the people of the whole world and he will turne all to the good of his Church and people Now the consideration of this will make feare flye from thee as the darkenesse doth from a candle Thirdly why Christ is said to sit and not to stand at the right hand of God Of which there be three reasons First To shew unto us that hee hath now finished the worke of mans redemption and having done all he is set downe at the right hand of God this is that he would have the whole world to see that now mans redemption is finished and perfected so Heb. 10. 12. But this man after hee had offered one sacrifice for sinnes sate downe for ever at the right hand of God Now although Christ hath wrought the redemption of man and is set at the right hand of God yet wee must not sit downe too but seeing he hath done his part we must doe our parts though he be set yet we must not sit but labour to lay hold on that which he hath purchased and apply it to our selves for although Christ hath purchased it yet if wee doe not apply it we shall be never the better for it If a man lye bound hand and foote in a deepe dungeon and a Iaylor come and set open the prison doores bidding him come to him and he will take the Gives and Bolts off from his hands feet and when he hath done so the Iaylor sits himselfe downe with the keyes in his lap now doe you thinke though the Iaylor sits still the prisoner will no I warrant you but rather would labour to creepe out of the stinking prison so seeing Christ hath opened the prison doores and hath knocked off the Gives and the Bolts of sinne and is set downe at the right hand of God with the keies of hell and of death we must not sit downe too but apply our selves to come out of our sinnes and to lay hold on the mercy that is offered to us Secondly because there is a judiciarie Power committed unto Him that is a power of judgement he sits to arraigne men and to give judgement and sentence against them and as earthly Iudges sit to order and to determine of all things that are done â— so Ioh. 5. 22. it is said The Father judgth no man but hath committed all judgment to the Sonne therefore because Christ holds a court of judgement to judge the whole world wee must be carefull to passe the whole time of our life and dwelling heere in feare and holinesse before God because Hee sits to judge us and though we bee not afraid of earthly Iudges yet let us bee afraid of the heavenly Iudge for howsoever men may shift the matter and blinde an earthly Iudge yet they cannot blinde the heavenly therfore every man must consider when he is drinking deceiving lying swearing and the like that Christ will judge him for it Thirdly because he is in the continuall act of judgement hee is alwaies on the judgment seat alwaies ready to administer judgement to the world earthly Iudges bee not alwaies on the judgement-seate but they have their vacation times out of tearme as they say that is they have certaine times of hearing O but Christ is in the act of judgement and on his charge continually Moses sate from morning till night to heare the people but he was weary of that but Christ sits continually and is never weary in the act of judgement Hence wee may learne these good instructions following First to comfort us in afflictions and crosses that Christ is alwaies ready to waite and attend on the causes of his servants and people a man may come at an unseasonable time to men as Luk. 11. it is said the man came to his friend at midnight and he was rebuked of his friend O but we cannot come at any unseasonable time to Christ hee sits night and day on the throne and will bee ready to heare us therefore in all our troubles this may give comfort Secondly to strike terrour into the hearts of men and to make them afraid of sinne and to offend him because he sits on the throne still and is ready to execute judgement If a theefe should steale or cut a purse when the Iudge is on the bench hee in worthy to be hanged sentence is ready to passe upon him presently so seeing Christ is on the bench and in the act of judgment if a man sinne against him sentence is ready to be passed hee may presently have execution done upon him and indeed all the judgments that come from day to day upon us come from Christ the executions be in the country but the writs and sentences amongst us come from a higher court from London so here in this world be all the executions but the sentence and the writs come from above they come from the court of heaven Fourthly To what end Christ sits at the right-hand of God for two ends first To make intercession for us as Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuary but is entred into heaven to appeare now in the sight of God for us We see in Samuel that Saul was angry with David many times and would have killed him but still Ionathan interposed himselfe and laboureth to pacifie his fathers
Dragon that old Serpent which is the Divell and Satan and he bound him a thousand yeeres and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and he shut him up and sealed the doore upon him c. Thus we see it is Christ that is this Angell that hath the key of Hell in his hand to shut up the Divell and the damned and the wicked into Hell so that there shall not be left a Devill nor a wicked man nor any of the damned to annoy or hurt any good man So Matth. 15. 41. The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquitie Now in this world in the most sanctified Church and best reformed there is a number of disorders and corruptions that doth trouble toyle and offend the People of God but at the last day every thing that offends shall bee taken away the Divell the Damned and Wicked men shall bee shut into Hell so that a dogge as it were shall not so much as moove his tongue at one of Gods People Secondly the wicked shall not onely bee shut into Hell but Christ hath a key also to open Heaven and to let in the godly as Iohn 14. 3. He saith to his Disciples I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there may you be also So when he hath locked up the wicked and ungodly in Hell then hee will make a way to Heaven and open it to his Servants as 2 Kings 10. 15. When Iehu had slaine Ahabs seventie sons and Ahaziahs brethren and the blood was yet warme upon his hands meeting with a good man Iehonadah the sonne of Rechab He blessed him and said unto him Is thine heart upright as mine is towards thine and Iehonadab answered It is If it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and tooke him into his Chariot so the Lord will doe when hee hath chased all the wicked to Hell and the blood of them is yet warme as it were on his hands meeting with a good man he will say You are a good man your heart is upright then he will take him up into his Chariot that is into Heaven so God will honour all his servants Thus a Thes 1. 10. it is said That he will come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvellous in all them that beleeve Hee will not account himselfe glorified till hee hath glorified his Saints therefore he will not be onely glorious in himselfe but he will also make his Saints glorious The Uses are First seeing Christ communicates his glory to his Saints therefore they should comfort themselves with the hope of this that one day there will bee a time of glory howsoever they are kept downe here in this world with many crosses and afflictions so Col. 3. 3. it is said Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God there is a life in a Christian and that a glorious one too though the world cannot see it because it is hid in Christ yet it is truely in him as the beauty and life of the flower lieth hid in the roote all the winter-time so the life of a Christian and his glory lies hid in Christ but when he commeth then he shall be perspicuous then his glory shal appeare When Christ came before Pilate he asked him if he were a King sure he thought him but a poor king Christ answeres My kingdome is not of this world so a Christian may say in all his disgraces my kingdome is not of this world but is above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Chrysostome saith in this world is the place of conflict and combate therefore we must looke for nothing but blowes wounds and blood but when the combate is at an end then we may looke for crownes and rewards therefore wee may comfort our selves in the hope of this that one day we shall have glory Secondly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints all true Christians have good cause to long for his comming the wicked care not how long it bee ere hee come the longer hee tarries they thinke it the better O but the people of God they care not how soone he come because it is the better for them for when he comes they shall have glory therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. that the creatures groane and the Saints groane desiring and longing when this time of glory will be as Iob 14. 14. saith he If a man dye shall he rise againe all the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my change come c. So Christians looke and waite for a change from mortality to immortality from an estate of humility to an estate of glory therefore they desire and long for Christs comming as Sisera's mother did waite and long for Sisera Iudg. 5. 28. where it is said The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and shee did cry out at the latise why is his chariot so long a comming and why tarrieth the wheeles of his chariot so the people of God long for Christs comming and when they looke out of their doores and windowes they may say O when will Christ come in his glory that wee may be glorified with him Thirdly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints and to his people doe thou labour to be one of them and it will be a comfortable day to thee therefore David saith Psal. 119. ult I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgot thy Commandements as if he should say I have gone astray I have beene a sinner but Lord seeke me and make me one of thy servants so a Christian may say with the holy father Bernard O Lord Iesus make me one of thy servants and receive mee and as thou tookest away the sinnes of thy people so doe thou now take away mine and Lord breede conscience and care in me that when thou glorifiest thy Saints I may be glorified with them there be many masters strive for my service as pride vaine-glory and covetousnesse but I strive against them all and I renounce them and bid farewell to them for I will bestow my love only on thee Christ shall be my king he shall be my Lord and Master and so when he comes in glory I shall have glory with him SERMON XLVII MATTHEW 24. 30 31. And they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory And Hee shall send His Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together His Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other WEE heard the last day that Christ shall come in glory to judge the whole world before hee came in the estate
prepared for thee thus every Christian must comfort himselfe with the hope of Heaven Secondly it is no meane kingdome because it is prepared for his chosen and Elect. The kingdome of this World God hath prepared for the good and the bad both together therefore sometimes wicked kings doe raigne but this kingdome he hath prepared for sanctified and holy people onely as Christ saith Iohn 3. Except a man be borne againe aâ—new â—e cannot enter into the Kingdome of God So this kingdome he hath prepared for the Elect onely Davidâ—aith â—aith Psal 111. 5. He hath given a portion to them that feare him We see this World that God hath made it for good and bad how it is walled in with the sea and covered with the Heavens and the Sunne and Moone and Starres to give us light Birds Fishes and Beasts to feede us with Trees and Plants for the use of us O but it is a speciall portion that hee will bestow on them that feare him therefore when we looke on the kingdomes of this World we may say this is not the kingdome that God hath prepared for his Elect and chosen onely but together with them for his enemies also but there is a glorious Kingdome that God hath prepared onely for his Elect and chosen and therefore why doe we not gather up our hearts and labour for it It is the madnesse of the World to spend all their strength in labouring after toyes and trifles Naboth would not part with his possessions God forbid saith he that I should part with the inheritance of my father or the Lord keepe me from giving the inheritance of my father so we should say when wee meete with temptations in the world to draw us out of this way Lord keepe me from giving the inheritance of my father Esau is condemned by the mouth of all men for that he sold his birthright for a messe of pottage so how worthily shall many a one bee condemned that will sell heaven for a little pleasure and profit for a penny or a halfepenny matter for a little beere or for a draught of strong drinke even for toyes and trifles Thirdly it was prepared for the Elect before the foundation of the world for before we were God loved us and prepared this kingdome for us before we looked on the Sunne he did regard us therefore it was not our merits that was the cause why God did bestow this kingdome on us but his free love in Christ which makes the gift the greater 1 Sam. 25. saith Nabal Shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men whom I know not I but heere is the love of God that when wee were strangers and enemies unto him then he prepared heaven for us it is a good saying that a learned man hath when I had no beginning thou thoughtest on mee and when I was nothing thou did'st prepare for mee and therefore it was nothing in my selfe that was the cause of it but it was thy mercy and goodnesse to me Secondly in the Assignation wee considered the title to his Kingdome it is a title of Inheritance therefore it is the best title and tenure and the surest that any man can hold by for so long as a man liveth so long his inheritance holds good if hee could live for ever and ever therefore seeing we shall have it by such a tenure wee may assure our selves we shall have it for ever and ever And here wee may with holy admiration admire Gods mercies to us as 2 Sam. 7. 18. David doth admire Gods kindenesse to him Who am I Lord God and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought mee hitherto and yet was this a small thing in thy sight O Lord God but thou hast spoken also of thy servants house for a long time to come so wee may much more admire the goodnesse and the kindnesse of God to us in that he hath prepared such a kingdome for us we may say as David said Lord God who am I and what is my fathers house I am but a poore sinfull man and thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while and wee must stirre up our selves to looke after it and to take heede we be not carried away with the streame of corruption therefore Augustine saith well Lord I am contented to endure any torture or any paine to indure imprisonment or the racke or whipping or burning so that I might bee but in heaven one day in like manner should wee bee contented to endure trouble and paine a little while heere that wee may bee in heaven for ever and ever SERMON L. MATTH 25. 35. For I was an hungred and yee gave mee meat I was thirstie and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke me in c. I Shewed the last day of the blessed and happie estate that all the people of God are called to at the day of Iudgement that they shall have no lesse matters than a kingdome and a kingdome prepared for the elect and that as a peculiar portion from the beginning of the world which should greatly set on foot the desires of a Christian to heare the blessed and the sweet voice of Christ calling them to come and possesse this kingdome Matth. 21. 12. it is said The kingdome of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force So none but violent people can get heaven it is a metaphore taken from a souldier that breakes into a Towne who although he be beaten backe and on the ground yet up againe he gets and never leaves till he enter the towne so they must be valiant men that must enter into heaven though they be driven backe and laid on the ground yet they must up againe and at it and never leave till they have gotten heaven yea although hell lay in our way we should breake thorow it and goe to heaven such a royall kingdome it is furnished with all good things Saint Ierome saith It is a great labour to goe to heaven but the reward is greater for they shall be where all the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Christ himselfe is and where the joy shall bee unspeakable so it is no lesse matter that God will bestow on his people than a kingdome Now we come to the fourth thing observed in the sentence of remuneration the Reason of it For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I thirsted and ye gave me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me I was naked and yee clothed me I was sicke and yee visited mee I was in prison and yee came unto me Then shall the righteous answer saying Lord when saw wee thee an hungred and athirst or naked and so forth The answer is Insomuch as you have done it to my servants and to my members you have done it to
us Gal. 3. 15. Though it bee but a mans Testament when it is confirmed yet no man abrogates it nor addes any thing thereto therefore seeing the Scripture is the best will and Testament of Iesus Christ there is no man that should adde or subtract any thing from it Now in the New Testament all is Canonicall It was the wisedome of the first Christians not to suffer any thing to goe hand in hand with the word of God lest the Lord should take up that complaint against them Ezek. 43. 8. Albeit they set up their thresholds by my thresholds and their posts by my posts and the wall between me and them c. In the new Testament all is Canonicall but in the old there are nine Bookâ—s which are not Canonicall the two Bookes of Esdras the Bookes of Tobit and Iudith Wisedome Ecclesiasticus Baruch the two Bookes of Macchabees with some fragments of Daniel and Hester as for the second Booke of Esdras it is very fabulous as S. Ierome doth affirme And Bellarmine confesseth where hee saith S. Ambrose himselfe doth foure times alleage it and yet it is not Canonicall because no councell tooke it to be so and it was not wrote in Hebrew In the sixt Chapter thereof there are two monsters spoken of that Sea and Land could not hold Now this is a fabulous thing and a very dreame therefore saith hee I wonder what came into his minde so a certaine Pope saith for so much as it was found written in the Greeke and not in the Hebrew which was the tongue that the Scripture was wrote in wee hold it to bee Apocrypha Therefore now if any man shall demand are there some Bookes Canonicall and some Apocrypha I answer that is called Canonicall which was written by the chosen Penmen of the Holy Ghost and hath sufficient authoritie in it selfe to confirme our faith and to perswade us that God is well pleased in the performance of those things which are required in it saith Augustine if were finde any hard place wee are not to blame it and to say it is not true but wee must say the fault is in the Printer or in the interpreter or it is because I doe not understand it Now the Apocrypha Bookes are such as were written by men not so inspired though they were learned men and such as were indued with the Spirit of God yet a man is not bound to beleeve them any further than they have warrant from the Canonicall Scripture S. Ierome saith though they were good men that wrote them yet they bee not of weight sufficient to confirme any Point of Doctrine no further than they have authoritie from the Scriptures And Damascen saith that they were good Bookes but yet they were not put into the Arke of God and kept as the Canonicall Scripture was now here is the difference between them the Canonicall Scripture is the very word of God c. The Apocrypha though there bee good things in it yet in it there is some taste of humane frailtie Now if any man shall aske why did not the Church receive this as the Canonicall Scriptures I answer there is good cause why they did not receive it which hath foure grounds for it First because the Iewes which were the Church and people of God did not receive it S. Paul saith Rom. 3. that to the Iewes were committed in trust the Oracles of God but they did not receive these Bookes therefore they were not the Oracles of God But how shall wee know that they did not receive them as the Scripture I answer First because Iosephus which was a Iew tells us in his booke against Appianus that the Iewes had two and twentie bookes which were written from God by Holy men inspired by the Holy Ghost saying that other bookes there bee which bee not of the like authoritie because they were written since the succession of the Prophets And S. Ierome saith that as the Iewes had two and twentie letters so they had two and twentie bookes that they admitted of and of no other booke besides into the Canon of the Scripture This is so cleare that Bellarmine himselfe confesseth it The second ground is this they which did write the Apocrypha were not the Penmen of the Scripture Wee see in the speech Luk. 16. 27. where Abraham is brought in saying to Dives they have Moses the Prophets let them heare them so Moses and the Prophets were the Penmen of the Scripture But the Apocrypha was not written by the Prophets First because they were not written in Hebrew which was the tongue that they wrote in againe they would not speake and write in an unknowne tongue to the people because they would not bring that curse upon them which is spoken of 1 Cor. 14. 21. In the Law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips will I speake to this people and yet for all that will they not heare mee saith the Lord. Secondly because the Succession of the Prophets were ceased at that time when these bookes were written as Iosephus saith for they were written in the time of the Macchabees and David tells us Psal 74. 9. prophecying of the destruction of the Church and true Religion which was in the time of the Macchabees wee see not our signes there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Therefore seeing it was not writ in the tongue that the Prophets wrote in but in Greeke and they were written since the Prophets therefore the Prophets were not the Penmen of them The third ground is that they bee not in the number of the witnesses that Christ will stand to for these bee Christs witnesses Luk. 24. 27. where it is said and hee began at Moses and all the Prophets and interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe so verse 24. and hee said unto them these are the words which I spake unto you whilest I was with you that all things must bee fulfilled which was written of me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes Augustine faith well that the Iewes doe not accompt of any bookes save of Moses the Prophets and of the Psalmes to the which our Lord Iesus gave witnesse and Chrysostome saith that the Iewes did divide the Scriptures into three parts the Law and the Prophets and the Psalmes they bee the witnesses that Christ stands to But these Apocrypha Bookes are not within this number therefore the Apocrypha is not received equally as the Scriptures are of the Church The fourth is Because the Bookes themselves bewray that they bee of man and not of God as S. Paul saith Rom. 3. 4. Let God bee true and every man a lyar but these Bookes there is none of them but have some taste of humane fâ—ailty in it as Tobit 5. there an Angell is made to lye but the
because men know not his worth 182. †Things of inestimable price aâ— the Graces of the spirit Kingdome of heaven Soules of men Favour of God unlawfull to be sold 182 183. The great dignity to bee the Sonnes of God 46. Christ the Sonne of God not by creation as Angels nor by adoption as men but by communication of nature and essence 92. ¶ Wee should labour to become the Sonnes of God 93. * Christs sorrow on the crosse a dreadfull sorrow 155. ¶ Three causes thereof 156. The immortalitle of the soule 257. * 602. The soules of the faithfull goe to Heaven immediately after death 243. †260 * Our soules ought to bee rendred up in as good a case as they were given us 99. * Christs Soule a pledgâ— and pawne for ours 259. ¶ Christ sometime is â—ound of them that sought how not 316. ¶ Idle speeches like the â—aste water of a Conduit 310. †God speeches must â—t bee quenched but cherisht 320. †God gives but a portie of the Spirit in this life 488. †¶ No fulnesse of the Spiâ—â—â— in this life 489. †Fulnesse of Spirit is â—even c. what 392. ¶ c. Degrees of the Spirit 501. The right worke of the â—irit in a Weake Strong Christian wherein it consists 501. 503. As fire by too much wâ—lâ— and a Ship by too great a burthen so 〈◊〉 Spirit quenched by too many worldly â—res 522. †Of the Starre that appeâ—ed to the Wisemâ—n 135. The Scriptures and faâ—â—full Ministers 〈◊〉 Starres to direct us 〈◊〉 Christ 136. †A Christian should deâ—e God to stay with him in time of Trouble Death 33. Stirring up one anotâ— to good duties 125. * Reasons theâ—of ibid. ¶ Wicked mens hearts â—rder than stones 271. †Ill successe shâ—ld bee no hindrance in our search for Christ 134. * Of Christs suâ—â—rings in generall 145. Christ suffeâ—d from 〈◊〉 The cup of malediction Desertion on the Crosse 153. Apprehension Arraignement Condemnation Execution 177. God suffere In humane Not divine nature 147. ¶ Of Christs â—â—ferings Duplex necessita Pretii or paying the price of mans redemption Exempli or good example 146. 327. The utilitie Christs sufferings 329. Christs 〈◊〉 more admirable his sufferings not profitable 145. ¶ Christ suâ—â—ed that mee might not suffer 146. ¶ Whatsoeverâ— fell Christ in his sufferings not due 〈◊〉 149. * From Christ sufferings we must learne 〈…〉 of our salvation â—e grievâ—â—snesse of our sinnes suffer our selves â—or sinne 148. Christ suffer to bring us 〈◊〉 to God 150. The 〈…〉 of Christs sufferings was to Râ—â—â—ncile us to God 〈◊〉 sinne 152. Wee must suffeâ—â— to Bee 〈◊〉 to Chr. Purge â— sinne Prevâ—â—â—nt 328. The end of alâ—â—r sufferings must bee to abolish sinne 152. ¶ Reasons to enable us to suffer from men are because All is by Gods appointment We have deserved all of them All shall tend to our good 176. ¶ As too much sumptuousnesse so too much sluttishnesse is to bee avoyded 281. †Of the Sunnes darknesse at Christs passion 165. No naturall cause thereof 166. ¶ Of Christs sweat in the Garden the Cause Carriage Manner End 161. c. T IN worldly businesse our talke should bee of Christ 317. †Men abstaine from talking of God and goodnesse because they Contâ—â—â—â— GOD and desire to have as little to doe with him as may bee Are not watchfull over their waies Waâ—t love to their Brethren 318. He that hath once tasted of the goodnesse of Christ will not let him goe upon any termes 333. * All men under the taxe of Gods wrath 116. †Christ teacheth 〈◊〉 by his Word Sacraments 84. Christ found no where but in the Temple 141. * How men destroyes the Temple of God 481. Two times the Divell chiefly tempts a Christian at His entrance into grace His going out of the world 161. ¶ The stronger the temptations the earnester our prayers 161. ¶ Christ exerciseth his Church with trials and temptations to Set aworke their graces Pull downe spirituall pride Keepe them from sinne The great terrour and torment of the wicked when they shall be shut out from the presence of Christ 464. †Thankefulnesse due to Christ for our redemption 254. ¶ Thankefulnesse due to Christ that hath freed us from the curse 95. * The conversion of the theefe on the crosse 233. Why Christ suffered betweene two theeves 222. All men good and bad figured in the two theeves 240. ¶ Of Christ thirst on the crosse the naturall causes Long abstinence Exiâ—cation from losse of blood Extremitie of griefe 246. The morall causes of Christs thirst That wee might not thirst To fulfill a Scripture That wee might thirst for the Spirit of grace 247. The good thirst of a Christian 248. †Of Christs appearing to Thomas 347. There is a fulnesse of time for the accomplishment of Gods promises 113. Why Christ would not be touched 312. ¶ Reasons against transubstantiation 319. * Trials to know whether Christs will bee gone from us or no. 330. Christ sold for a trifle 183. †Christ the joy of the world a trouble to some 132. †Of the Trumpet sounding to judgement 426. Christ condemned for the Truth 196. †The Holy Ghost a Tutor to us 510. * V THe Veile of the Tempâ—rent to Make an entrance inâ—â— Heaven Abrogate the cereâ—â—iall Law Shew Christ had taâ—n away the separatioâ— betweene God and us Shew the veile of ignorance in the Law was â—â—ken away 270. How the Kingdome of Heaveâ— suffers violence 253. ¶ Christ did not passe througâ— the Virgin Mary as water through aâ—â—nduit pipe 105. †Christ conceived of a Virgin at he might Be free from siâ—â— Fulfill the propheâ—s of him Awaken the â—ld by the strangenes of â— birth 108. The Virgin Marie considered her Stocke of the Lineagâ— David Estate poore and meane 110. Vivification wherein it consist 504. †Actions done voluntarily inâ—bedience to God are most acceptable 265. ¶ Thomas's unbeleefe 348. W WEE ought to waitâ—atiently â—atiently for Christs commiâ— 140. †Weake brethren not to be disâ—ed 277. †Weaknesse of Faith see 〈◊〉 Christ yeelds to mans weakâ—esse though on unequall termes 251. ¶ The wicked sparing for goâ—â—ses prodigall for bad 182. †We must be content to suffeâ— the hands of wicked men 177. †The wicked hurt the Saiâ—by their Wrongs Sinnes 60 The wicked labour to geâ—â— of their troubles by bad meanes 133. ¶ The wickedsâ—dition â—dition worse than Nabuchadnezzarâ—mong â—mong the Oxen. 472. * The wicked liâ— fishes in the Sea live in the Church â—ut are neither seasoned by it nor taste the power thereof 567. * A terrour aâ—confusion to the wicked when they 〈◊〉 be separated from Christ to the Divâ—nd his angels 433. ¶ The wicked aâ—r the resurrection shall bee subject to â—â—ecessities of nature 644. The wicked 〈◊〉 bee shut out of the Earth at the end the world 465. The wicked 〈◊〉 bee shut out of Heaven at the presen◠〈◊〉 Christ 464. The wickedsâ—â—panions â—â—panions hereafter
the Divell and hâ—â—ngels 471. The wickedâ— ares shall bee bound together in buâ—es for the greater increase of torment 582. * How farre â—â—ed men desire the presence of God 465. The wickedâ—hing â—hing the better for Christs resurrectiâ— 300. †The punishâ—â— of the wicked shall be Gods curse 466. Reason of thâ—icked their condemnation 473. Gods Will tâ—â—fold of his â—â—ree comandment 198. The wills of dead must bee performed 232. ¶ Witnesses 〈◊〉 might have beene found for Christâ—â—â—cencie none against it 196. * False witneâ—er â—er scapes unpunished ibid. Fine wits aâ—litike pates must be imploied for Ch. 202. †Christs maâ—tation to the Wisemen 128. The reasons â—â—of ibid. The Wisemâ—â— their search for Christ discourage by Bad â—esse Ill exâ—e 134. Wives ought â—â—y and stoppe their husbands in â—â—urse of sinne 206. * God made allâ—â— by his Word 66. All Creatures save man yeeld obedience to Gods Word 66. †All Christs last Words holy and good 255. Workes not the cause of our obtaining heaven but onely signes who be the Persons 454. Reasons against the merit of workes ibid. A difference betweene for workes and according to workes 457. * To worke out our salvation what it is 253. * The last judgement shall be according to our workes 456. The reason thereof 459. †All good workes shall bee remembred and rewarded 458. Gods workes were done by degrees 69. †God made the world exceeding good 67. What time God made the world 68. In what order God made the world 70. The Iewish prophesie that the world should continue 6000. yeeres 401. * The world made of nothing 66. †God is able to dissolve the world to nothing 67. * The world shall be burnt 409. None worse than they that have had a taste of religion and have lost it 180. * A threefold worship due to God Adoration Invocation Faith 92. Whether Christs wounds remained in his glorified body 452. Christ takes all wrongs done to his servants as done to himselfe 461. ¶ Y OF the yong man that followed Christ 189. Yong Men ought to looke after Christ ibid. ¶ Z ZEale for the honour of God a signe of conversion 138. †Zerxes sorrow when hee looked upon 100000. Souldiers 210. * Eccles 12. 10. Eze. 33. 32. Revel 22. 20. 1 Act. 15. 18. 3 4 5 6 Fides non eligit objectum Bulla Pii quarti 1 Cor. 2. 11 12. 2 3 4 1 Pet. 3. 5 6 7 8 Simile Simile 1 Vse of Faith The first Reason why Faith alone Justifieth The second Reason why Faith alone justifieth Gal. 3. 17. Epheâ— 3. 17. The second use of Faith Two workes of Faith 1 2 1 Consideration How to deale with sinne 2 Consideration The third Consideration 1 The greatnesse of our sinnes 2 The greatnesse of Gods Mercy The second way How Faith stirs up holy motions 2 King 13. 21. Gal. 2. 20. Habak 2. 2. 1 2 1 All things must be done in Faith Quest. How to doe all our actions in Faith 1 Answ 2 Meanes to doe all in Faith Esai 8. 20. Two comforts of doing things in Faith 1 2 Vse 1. Vse 2. The third meant to doe all in Faith How to Suffer all in Faith The first meanes how Faith upholds us in desertion 1 Pet. 1. 5. The second meanes how faith upholds us in desertion The third means how Faith upholds in Desertions In worldly cresses Faith supports soure waies The second way how Faith sustaineth in crosses Iob 13. 15. 1 Sam. 28 1â— Foure meanes whereby Faith supports us in Afflictions Iob 19. 25. 4 Vse of Faith in our life-time Foure waies to dye in Faith 1 The second way to dye in Faith Acts 7. 56. Gen. 28. 1. The fourth way to die in Faith Vse 1. Vse 2. 1 Historicall Faith what Note 2 Tim. 3. 16. The second defect of Historicall Faith Secondly Temporary Faith The first Cause The second Cause Thirdly Miraculous Faith Fourthly Iuâ—fying and Saving Faith Three things required in Iustifying Faith 1 Object Answ The first Defect Psalm 7â— â—19 2 Kings 7. 2. The second Defect The second thing in sanctifying Faith Iob 5. 7. The third thing in sanctifying Faith Seven trials of true Faith The first The second triall of true Faith Note The third triall of true Faith The fourth triall of true Faith The fifth triall of true Faith The sixth triall of true Faith The seventh triall of true Faith By five Companions The first Companion of true Faith The second Companion of true Faith The third Companion of true Faith The fourth Companion of true Faith The fifth Companton of true Faith Phil. 3. Foure uses Three degrees of Faith 1 2 3 Object Sol. First weake Faith in judgement weaknesse of Faith in apprehension Foure trialls of weake from no Faith Quest. Sol. Three trialls of a right desire 1 2 3 The second triall of weake Faith The third triall of weake Faith The fourth triall of weake Faith The first triall of weake Faith The second triall of it The third triall of it The fourth triall of it The fift triall of it Vse 1. Vse 2. Argument 1 2 Foure Reasons why our Faith is shaken 1 2 3 4 Quest Sol. Object Sol. Two sorts of assurance of Salvation Object Answ Foure coÌ„sorts in want of feeling assurance of salvation The first The second comfort The third comfort The fourth Comfort Note Quest. Sol. 1 2 3 4 3 Full assurance of Faith Gal. 5. 6. Effects of true Faith 1 Bernards two farthings The second effect of true Faith The third effect of true Faith 1 2 Gen. 19. 4 Effect of true Faith 5 Effect of true Faith In foure respects we are Pilgrims here 1 2 3 4 1 That there is a God Note 1 The workes of God prove a Deity 1 The workes of Creation 2 The workes of Government 2 The place of God 3 By the Nature of the Creatures 1 Motion 2 Multitudes 4 By Conscience 5 By our owne Experience Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. 2 That there is but one God Vsesi Obiect Sol. 1 Evidence The seemd evidence Vse 2. Act. 4. 32. Vse 4. 3 He is a true God in regard of his Nature 1 2 3 God is true in his Properties SERM. V. Fourthly that God is our God Ioh. 20. 27. Simile Simile ARTIC I. The first ground to proove a Trinity of Persons The second ground for Distinction of Persons Secondly that the Father is a distinct Person Simile Simile Quest. Sol. Simile Simile Vse Simile Thirdly God is the Father of Christ Vse 1. Vse 2. Simile Exod. 29. 6. By Faith in Christ we are adopted Iob 17. 14. Vse First since God is our Father we must labour to please him in all things Simile Secondly If God be our Father we must labour to be as like him as may be Three things to be like God in 1 In doing good to all 2 In forgiving wronge and iniuries 3 In holinesse of life 3 To moderate the cares of this life 4 All our chastisements then come
of this that this Iesus whom they have despised and condemned shall bee their Iudge at last Now I thought to have passed over the condemnation of Christ and to have spoken little of it but we must doe as the Goldsmith who will not lose the least fine of his gold but he will gather it up so we should not lose the least thing or circumstance touching Christ but should gather all up as in the Law wee read the Lord commanded that the ashes and cinders of the burnt offerings should be gathered up and laid in a cleane place in like manner wee should doe gather up the very ashes and cinders of the sufferings of Christ wherefore our hearts must bee the cleane place to lay them up in that so wee may thinke of the great love of Christ to us and be provoked to love him againe who hath loved us and washed away our sinnes Now Christ was condemned in two courts in the Ecclesiasticall before Annas and Caiphas and in the Temporall before Pilate the one whereof was a forerunner of the other and the reason is because the gouernment was not in the hands of the Iewes who could not put any to death but in the hands of the Romans under whom Pilate was the chiefe governour therefore wee will onely speake of the condemnation of Christ under Pilate where we will observe these foure things 1. How many times Pilate sought to deliver Christ. 2. What was the meanes he used 3. What made him stand so stiffe for Christ. 4. What drew him on to condemne Christ contrary to the light of his judgement First how many times Pilate laboured to cleere Christ before hee condemned him and that appeares to bee foure severall times first when they accused him saying they had found this man perverting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar saying that he is Christ our king Pilate asked him saying Art thou the king of the Iewes unto which he answered and said Thou saiest it then said Pilate to the high Priests and to the people I finde no fault in him indeed it is true that he is a king but his kingdome hee saith is not of this world therefore Caesar neede not to bee afraid of him I see no cause of death in him you say hee is a king what though it is of no worldly kingdome as Caesars is but it is a kingdome of another world therefore Pilate laboured to free Christ at this time Now in the answer of Christ to Pilate we observe two things First that hee doth professe hee is a king this is that same good confession Paul speaketh of 1 Tim. 6. 12. who under Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession therefore seeing Christ is a king wee must so accept of and receive him as to bee ordered by him in our life and conversation and governed by his Lawes because hee is the King of the Church and of all the world it is the sinne of the time that men can be contented to have Christ to bee their Saviour and redeemer to save them by his bloud but they cannot abide to have him to be their King as Luke 19. they say Wee will not have this man to rule over us so men now adayes can be contented to have Christ to teach and to preach to them but they cannot abide to have him to be their King to rule or raigne over them in their life and conversation but for this cause was he borne and for this cause did he die therefore if thou wilt ever raigne with him in the kingdome of glory thou must be ruled by him in the kingdome of Grace Secondly he saith his kingdome is not of this world it doth not consist in the pompe and glory of this world for Christs kingdome is of another world in heaven a kingdome above the clouds of glory and happinesse Which must teach us that seeing Christs kingdome is not of this world they that be subjects of Christ must not looke for especially worldly matters or preferments therefore in sicknesse paines troubles and afflictions we must say my kingdome is not of this world but above the clouds it is an heavenly kingdome a kingdome of glory and happinesse my comfort is laid up there when sicknesse and troubles are come upon a man hee must carry up his thoughts and say though I am sicke poore in distresse and disgrace yet it shall not alwayes be so with me for my kingdome is not of this world If the heire of a great King should be in a strange place and hardly used there he would gather up his thoughts and think with himselfe I am but a stranger here and therfore they use me hardly but when I come home againe into mine owne kingdome then it shall be otherwise with me so when wee bee hardly used here we must consider that wee are strangers and therefore they doe hardly use us but when we come at our Fathers house we shall have more comfort than this world can afford us Againe seeing our kingdome is not of this world but a heavenly kingdome the glory whereof farre exceeds all the transitory things of this life therefore wert thou a subject of the best kingdome of the world know it is nothing unlesse thou be a subject of Christs kingdome it is nothing to bee a citizen of the best citie in the world unlesse thou be a citizen of the kingdome of Christ Therefore labour to be a subject in the kingdome of grace to live by faith to be obedient to Gods Commandements to be patient in troubles and then thou shalt be a subject in the kingdome of glory The Queene of the South came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon which when shee came and heard she thought it a great preferment to be one of his subjects saith shee Happie are thy men happie are these thy servants which stand continually before thee c. Now if it were a happie thing to be a subject in that kingdome much more is it a happie thing to be a subject in the kingdome of Christ therefore let us labour to bee subjects to Christ in the kingdome of grace that wee may be subjects in the kingdome of glroy The second time that Pilate laboured to free Christ and to set him at libertie was after he had sent him to Herod it is said That he called together the high Priests and the rulers of the people and said unto them yee have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people and behold I having examined him before you have found no fault in this man concerning those things whereof ye accuse him no nor yet Herod for I sent you to him and loe nothing worthy of death is done unto him This ye see is the second time that Pilate sought to deliver Christ Which may teach us to be constant in a good course although things doe not succeed
which this is all that hee desires at our hands to make mention of his Name to the world that wee should speake in his cause and for religion this we see the Apostles did Act. 4. when they were rated and rebuked for speaking in the Name of Christ they made answer That they could not but speake of the things that they had both seene and heard so Hester 4. when the Iewes were in distresse saith Hester If I perish I perish as if shee should say Should I forsake the cause no whatsoever befall me I will venture my selfe if I perish I perish to this purpose Exod. 4. saith the Lord to Moses Goe thy way I will be with thy month from which words Augustine collects That if a man speake for the Gospell and in a cause of justice then God opens his mouth but if a man open his mouth to sweare lye deceive slander his neighbour or open his mouth against the Gospell then it is the Devill that doth open his mouth therefore it is a pitifull thing that Christ Religion and the Gospell is condemned and yet men will bee silent at it but doe not thou wonder in this case if Christ bee silent for thee at the day of Iudgement The second meanes that Pilate used was Mittendo by sending Christ to Herod for he hoped that the Iewes would not have followed him at all to accuse him or if they did hee should have found some favour and friendship from Herod seeing he was desirous of a long time to see him not out of any love to Christ to be saved by him draw any grace from him or take good by his presence but out of an humour and conceit he had touching him having heard of the strangenesse of his miracles that hee did that hee was a Iugler oâ— some cunning man that would have done seats this it was that made him desirous to see Christ So there be a number of men desirous to see Christ but they have divers ends some because they would be fed some because of his miracles some to get credit and favour amongst men to bee well accounted of but few seeke him to a right end to get grace and strength against sinne to bee quickened up in their affections as Iohn 1. 38. Iesus turned about when hee saw them that did follow him and said unto them What seeke yee So the Spirit of Christ askes us when wee come to the ministery of his Word what seeke yee if ye seeke for worldly ease preferment or credit amongst men then ye come to a wrong end but if ye seeke to Christ to have your graces encreased and to be strengthened against sinne then yee shall be blessed in your comming therefore when we come to the Word we must see that we come to a right end Now when Herod had not that that he looked for that Christ did not follow his humour hee fals a mocking of him puts on a white garment on him in derision and so sends him away this is a strange thing that Herod had a desire a long time to see Christ and now when he seeth him hee makes a mock of him and puts a white garment upon him though hee had done so much at Iohns preaching that he did many things wel heard Iohn gladly yet now he makes a mock of Christ here we may see what a dangerous thing it is to nourish sinne for if a man harbor some secret sinne though hee hath good affections and good graces it will eate out the heart of them so Herod harbord one sinne the taking his brother Philips wife and the nourishing of this one eate out the heart of all his good affections This was the case of Herod and is the case of thousands in the world though they be hearers of the Word and have reformed many a thing yet because they nourish some secret sinne they fall to bee mockers of Religion which eats out the heart of all their graces and of good affections as Matth. 3. our Saviour shewes that some seede fell in stony ground and sprang up and when the Sunne arose it parched withered and came to nothing because there were stones in the bottome so if a man have good affections if hee nourish one secret sinne all will come to nothing it will eate out all the heart of his graces The third meanes hee used to deliver Christ was jungendo by joyning Christ and Barabbas together for it was a custome at their feasts to let loose a prisoner now Christ was matched with a notable theefe that was in the prison one that was a traytor and a murtherer therefore Pilate thought they would not have chosen him that was so vile but would rather have chosen Christ but the Priests through envie stirred up the people who did chuse Barabbas and refused Christ this was a notable policie in Pilate and must teach them that have fine wits and politike pates to use them for Christ and not against him as Levit. 2. The Lord commands that they should offer fine flowre so if men have fine wits and fine policies God must have a handfull of them Psalm 22. David desires to be kept from the horne of the Vnicornes why was this though is were a good and sufficient horne yet it was a naughty head that did beare it so learning wit and policie is a good thing when it is in a good heart but if it be in a bad heart then we had need to pray to God as David did to keepe us from the horne of the Vnicorne keepe me from his policie his wit and learning a man that hath a good wit must use it for Christ and not against Him for if he doe God will destroy his wit and him In all the histories of the Heathen wee finde not the like example to that in the Bible of Achitophel whose counsell was as the Oracle of God and yet because he used policie and wit against God and not for God it was overthrowne by a plaine man so the Papists and Iesuits beyond sea are great Polititians have fine wits and goe far beyond us in their policies yet they have been often overthrowne in their deepe fetches and subtile plots and it hath pleased God to blesse us in our simplicity and weakenesse the reason whereof is because their policie is against Christ and the Gospell and ours is for it Thus much for Pilate Now for the people we see that they preferred Barabbas before Christ who was a traytor and a murtherer Christ being an innocent man and yet by the instigation of the Priests they chose Barabbas and refused Christ Now I dare say there is not any here but will be ready to condemne the Iewes that they preferred Barabbas before Christ but what doe we not as ill who preferre our vile lusts and sinnes before Christ For as Divines say in every choise and election there is a practicall discourse in the courâ— of a
we come of it it must be our care to mend it and to walke by rule SERMON LXVI 1 TIMOTHY 3. 15. That thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and ground of the Truth HOw the Church is called the ground and the Pillar of truth hath beene in part declared already for first it hath preserved the letter of the Scripture secondly the Canon of the Scripture that is the number of the holy bookes thirdly the authority of the Scripture of which I am now to speake I say not that the Church giveth authority to the Scripture but I say it doth preserve the authoritie of the Scripture for if the Church should give authority to the Scripture then the authority of the Church were greater than the authority of the Scripture the Papists say that the Scripture is not authenticall but by the authority of the Church and another saith to speake absolutely the Church is of more authority because it giveth authority to the Scripture this is the doctrine of the Papists but the Scripture hath not his authority from the Church but from God so Saint Paul saith 2 Tim. 3. 16. For the whole Scripture is given by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to improve to correct instruct c. so 2 Pet. 1. 25. for the prophecies came not in the old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost therefore because the Scripture is given by inspiration from God it hath its authority from God unlesse we thinke it cannot be the word of God unlesse men allow of it so being favourable unto God that unlesse God please men they will give no authority to his word therefore the Scripture hath sufficient authority from God without any testimonie from men because it is the Word of God Now here comes a question which the Papists make How shall we know the Scripture but by the authoritie of the Church I answere because we may know it by infallible arguments and can prove it to bee the Scripture The testimony of the Church in this regard is to shew and declare that it came from God he is the Author of it it hath the Authority from God not from the Church the Church onely declares and makes it knowne to her Children by infallible testimonies that it is given by inspiration from God As a poore man who carrieth letters from the king can give no authoritie to it but if any man make doubt whether it came from the king or no he can shew the kings hand and seale to it and make it knowne to bee so by divers testimonies so the Church can give to authoritie to the Scripture but if any man make doubt whether it bee the Scripture or no the true Church can make it knowne by divers arguments that it came from God and this is the office of the Church Now there bee seven evidences whereby wee may prove that the Scriptures came from God the Author of them First The puritie of it so Spirituall and full of holy Matter of Goodnesse Iustice Sanctitie forbidding vice commending Vertue voide of all Corruption and so farre remooved from the heart of Man as that Man must needs thinke that it came from God So Deut. 4. 8. Moses saith What Nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous as this law that I have set before you So David Psal 19. The Law of the Lord is an undefiled Law Hence we inferre the puritie thereof doth declare that it came from God It is so Holy and Divine as no wit of Man could devise the like all other lawes which have beene made by man in time have beene discovered and their corruptions approved even Lycurgus his Law which was thought to bee the best All other Bookes which have beene devised by the wit of Man have their corruptions Amongst the Philosophers no Rose but had his prickle no truth without some mixture of falsehood but this Booke of the Scripture the longer it is in the World the more it is discovered the more the puritie and holinesse of it doth appeare therefore this is an evidence that it came from God Secondly we may know the Scripture is from God by the majesty of it that in so plaine words and termes such high wisedome is contained therein and so transcending the Nature and wit of Man as no writing of man was ever like unto it As the officers of the high Priests said of Christ Iohn 7. 46. Never man spake like this Man so we may say of the Scriptures never did any Booke speake like this Booke If all mens wits were laid together they were not able to gather together one leafe like it all other bookes of other writers with two or three times reading them over wee may draw them dry even the Bookes of Demosthenes Plato and Aristotle But if we should live a thousand yeeres to read the Scriptures yet still wee should have one new thing or other This doth shew that all Mens wits have a bottome but the Scripture hath none therefore we may say of other bookes that they bee as a little gold among a great deale of earth but we may say of the Scripture as of the Pearle that there is a great deale of Treasure comprehended in a little roome Thirdly by the Power of it for there is nothing in this world that the nature of Man can lesse digest at this day than the Scripture Men cannot abide to read the Scriptures and yet notwithstanding wee see of what power it is to worke on the soule and conscience of Men it closeth with them and makes them see their sinnes to repent for them and brings them home to God as Heb. 4. 12. saith the Apostle For the Word of God is lively and mighty in operation and sharper than a two-edged sword and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynes and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart Now this power of the Word shewes it is from God Againe when a Mans Conscience is on the racke there is nothing but God can releeve him therefore this is an evidence that it is of God because it is of power as well to convert as also to comfort a Man when his Conscience is on the racke Fourthly By innumerable prophecies and predictions therein that have been foretold and come to passe in the times appointed as Esay 41. 22. saith God Let them bring forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things what they be that we may consider them and know the latter end of them or declare us things for to come Shew the things that are to come hereafter that wee may know that ye are Gods yea doe good or doe
evill that wee may be dismayed and behold it together So none but God can tell future things that are meerely contingent A man may foretell future things that depend on naturall causes but to foretell things that are meerely contingent none can doe but God But the Scriptures have foretold divers things which have come to passe in the times appointed and were meerely contingent therefore the scripture is from God As Gen. 49. 10. there Iaakob foretold of Christs comming in the flesh saith he The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Lawgiver from betweene his feete till Shiloh come this was very unlike that ever it should bee and yet the governement continued in the Tribe of Iuda till Herod came who killed the Sanâ—edrin in whose dayes Christ was borne so likewise David prophecied Psal 72. 8. that the Gospell should goe through the World and all Nations should yeeld obedience to it This hath beene performed and so of all the prophecies foretold they should come to passe in the time appointed We see the Iewes killed the Prophets and when they had laid them in the dust yet they reverenced the writings and kept them safe what was the reason of it they say that that which they spake was true and that came to passe therefore though they could not abide the Prophets but killed them yet they regarded their writings and reverenced them Fifthly by the sincerity of the Writers that therein have not concealed their owne faults If Men must write of themselves they will bee sure to write the best and not the worst But those holy Writers have not spared their owne faults Moses writes of his own faults when he strucke the Rocke and tels us that this was the cause why hee could not enter into the land of promise and David writes the 51. Psalme which is a Psalme of repentance bewailing that horrible sinne which he committed with Bathsheba and hath left it to all succeeding ages nay there be some of them that no man could have ever knowne their faults if themselves had not disclosed them as the Prophet Ezekiel in his third Chapter I went saith he but it was in the bitternesse and indignation of my spirit this shewes it came from God Naturally men labour to cover their owne faults to hide them and speake well of themselves to gaine credit but the Spirit of God takes away all from man and giveth it to God Therefore because these holy writers take away all from themselves and give the honour to God this doth shew it came from God It is a prettie consideration of a Heathen Man Hee brings a Man and a Lion reasoning which was the strongest whether the Lion or the Man the one said the Lion and the other the Man who brings the Lion to a picture where the Man was tearing and rending the Lion so saith he Man is the strongest Nay saith the Lion the reason hereof is because Man made the picture himselfe for said he if the Lion had made the picture then he would have made the Lion tearing the Man for every Man will be favourable to himselfe In like manner to apply this if Man had made the Scripture he would have set up his own glory but because they take away all their own glory and give it God it is an evidence that it is of God Sixthly By the wonderfull consent of those which were the writers of it both in regard of the matter and manner First for the matter that it was writ by so many severall Men and at sundry times and in divers Countries and Kingdomes and upon severall Occasions and yet that they all consented in one thing what doth this shew us but that they were all guided by one God in this wonderfull consent Therefore the Scriptures came from God Secondly in regard of the manner they agree for Amos being but a shepheard and taken from following the sheepe yet writes as Divinely Holily and Excellently as Esay that was of the Kings seede and brought up at the Court for hee writes against the sinnes that were then used at the Court especially against pride as we may see Amos 3. so likewise Iohn and Peter were poore fishermen and unlearned and yet they write as Divinely Heavenly and Excellently as Paul did that was brought up at the feete of Gamaliel Let any man shew mee any other reason why Amos that was but a shepheard did write as Holily and Divinely as Esay that was brought up at the kings Court and why Iohn and Peter which were but poore fishermen should write as Heavenly and excellently as Paul that was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel and I will yeeld to him but I thinke there can bee no other reason than this that the same GOD that did assist the one did assist the other Seventhly by naturall reason for reason teacheth us that God must be worshipped then every Mans heart telleth him that he must not bee worshipped as we will but as he will for the servant must not prescribe the Master but the Master the servant but God hath not prescribed his worship in any place but in the Scriptures therefore this reason stands good That the Scripture is not the word of Man but the Word of God The Uses are First seeing the Scriptures are the word of God therefore there is nothing more certaine and sure in this world than the saith of a Christian all arts and sciences are grounded on truth that is the truth of the creature which wee call created truth but the faith of a Christian is grounded on an uncreated truth for there is no comparison betweene created and uncreated truth therefore there is nothing more certaine and sure in this world than the faith of a Christian as 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. saith the Apostle Paul neither stood my words and preaching in the inticing speeches of mans wisedome but in plaine evidence of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not bee in the wisedome of men but in the power of God so the faith of a Christian is most sure sense and reason may deceive but faith cannot because it is grounded on an uncreated truth therefore in holy reverence as one saith we may say Lord Lord if we be deceived in the hope of glory and in the hope of life everlasting thou hast deceived us if we have but the word of a man we will build rest and relye on it but we have a word and warrant from God and yet we doe not rest and relye on that through corruption of mans heart and his nature although the word of God is an uncreated truth and the other a created Secondly seeing the Scripture is the Word of God therefore it is the highest Iudge where all questions and controversies may bee decided the Prince and his letters are all one in law so God and his Word is all one therefore