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
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
AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED OR AN EXPLANATION OF THE ARTICLES OF OVR CHRISTIAN FAITH Delivered in many afternoone Sermons by that Reverend and worthy Divine Master Iohn Smith late Preacher of the Word at Clavering in Essex and sometime Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Oxford Now published for the benefit and behoofe of all good Christians together with an exact Table of all the chiefest Doctrines and Vses throughout the whole Booke Vprightnesse hath boldnesse HEB. 11. 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please Him for hee that commeth unto God must beleeve that Hee is and that Hee is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke Him AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Robert Allot and are to bee sold at his shop at the signe of the blacke Beare in Pauls Church-yard 1632. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND NOBLE LORD EDWARD LORD MOVNTAGVE OF BOVGHTON Right Honorable THere hath beene both in former Ages of the Church and also in these latter times that zealous desire and endevour in many worthy Divines to advance true Religion and to benefit the church of God that they have not onely by their assiduous preaching in their life time wonne many soules to God but also have left divers monuments in writing whereby they being dead doe yet speake and the holy Doctrine by them taught is transmitted and propagated to posterity after them Amongst whom Mr. John Smith late Minister of Clavering in the Countie of Essex a man much reverenced for his Religion Learning Humilitie and Holinesse of life whilst he lived whose memorie is also very pretious with good men since his departure out of this life besides his indefatigable paines which he tooke in dispensing faithfully the Word of life did leave behinde him certaine Treatises in writing which in the judgement of some godly men were like to prove profitable to the Church but because they were left by him not perfectly digested into order as having no intention to present them to the publike view such was his Modestie and Humility therefore some of his friends at the intreatie of me and my wife the Relict of the said M. Iohn Smith her former deare husband having direction from us have taken great paines to gather them together to make them readie for the light which their industrie as it was very acceptable to us so we were very desirous that the fruit thereof might redound unto many and therefore did cause commit them to the Presse knowing that any good the more it is communicated the better it is And this Treatise containing the Summe of Faith being as it were a Christians free-hold for which he ought to contend â— anquam pro aris focis We thought it not unworthy to present unto your Honorable Patronage being an Orphan deprived of its owne Father hoping that by your Honours countenance and approbation it shall the better bee accepted of all true hearted Christians and I was the more imboldned hereunto because of your Honours zeale to true Religion Reverence the Word of God Love and bountie to the faithfull and deserving Preachers thereof Goodnesse towards all men Iustice and Equitie in the Common-wealths affaires and great Care of the good of your Countrie which is not onely experimentally knowne to me who am by many speciall Interests obliged to your Honor but also to all other in these parts who are so happy as to have continuall proofe thereof And though this poore Posthume is permitted to venter abroad naked as it were without those rich Robes Ornaments and quotations wherewith the Father if he had lived might plentifully have inriched it Yet I most humbly crave your Noble Protection for it and favorable censure of both the Worke and Publisher so shall your Lordships Noble favor herein yet further binde me Your Honors truely devoted and much obliged ANTHONY PALMER To the Christian Reader IT is availeable for the better entertainment of this worke to know something concerning the Author concerning the worke it selfe and concerning the Argument for the Author my acquaintance with him was especially towards the declining part of his yeeres at what time as they speake of the Sunne towards setting the light and influence which comes from worthy men is most mild and comfortable The gifts of men then perhaps are not so flourishing as in their younger time but yet more mature and what commeth from them is better digested In the prime of his yeares hee was trained up in S. Iohns Colledge in Oxford being there fellow of the House and for Piety and Parts esteemed highly in the University of those that excelled in both Afterwards he grew to that note that he was chosen to reade the lecture in Pauls succeeding therein that great lâ—â—ned man Doctor Andrewes late Lord Bishop of Winchester which he discharged not onely to the satisfaction but to the applause of the most judicious and learned hearers witnessed by their frequency and attention Not long after he was removed to a pastorall charge in Clavering in Essex where being fixed till his death hee shined as a starre in his proper spheare This good mans aime was to convey himselfe by all manner of wayes into the heart which made him willingly heard of all sorts for witty things onely as they are spoken to the braine so they rest in the braine and sinke no deeper but the heart which vaine and obnoxious men love not to bee touched that 's the marke a faithfull teacher aimes to hit But because the way to come to the heart is often to passe through the fancy therefore this godly man studied by lively representations to helpe mens faith by the fancy It was our Saviour Christs manner of teaching to expresse heavenly things in an earthly manner And it was the study of the wise man Salomon becomming a Preacher to finde out Pleasant words or words of delight but when all paines is taken by the man of God people will relish what is spoken according as their taste is It falleth out here as it doth in a garden wherein some walke for present delight some carry flowers away with them to refresh them for a time some as Bees gather honey which they feede on long afterwards some spider-like come to sucke that which may feede that malignant and venemous disposition that they bring with them There cannot be a better Character of a man than to observe what hee relisheth most in hearing for as men are so they taste so they judge so they speake Ezekiel besides Propheticall gifts fit for so high a calling had no doubt a delightfull manner of expression of himselfe whereupon the wickeder sort of Iewes engaged in sinfull courses came to heare him but as a Musitian to please their eares neglecting the authoritie of his Person and the weight of his message it s no wonder therefore if in these dayes people sticke in the barke and neglect the pith though sometimes it falleth out with some as with Augustine hearing
the little Boy which runnes to our friend Iesus Christ who then comes and paies our debt pacifies the conscience and we goe free Secondly because it maketh us one with Christ as we see in the Galathians and in the Epistle to the Ephesians wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and therefore being one with him all the holy vertues that be in him are made ours the obedience of Christ his patience his love his meekenesse his goodnesse his holinesse and whatsoever is in him wee partake of it As we see in experience if a man be married to a woman whatsoever he hath hee communicates to his wife for if he be rich she cannot be poore if he be noble she cannot be base for looke what the man hath hee communicates to his wife even so being made one with Christ by faith looke what good things Christ hath that hee communicates to us his Righteousnesse his Holinesse c. Looke what he hath we cannot want If a man should commit treason against the king be condemned for it adjudged and sentence given that he shold have his hand cut off or his eyes pulled out if he had this cunning that he could make his hand or his eye to bee the eye of the kings sonne he should not have his hand cut off nor lose his eye because it then were the eye or hand of the kings sonne even so this is the skill and cunning of faith it makes us members and parts of Christ the sonne of God and therefore if wee be but the least bone in the body of Christ God will not cast us away we shall not perish for his sonnes sake So that faith doth not save us by reason it is a more holy quality than other graces or for the worthines of it above others but because it maketh us one with Christ as if a man had a stone in a ring that could heale many diseases we say it is the ring but indeed it is not the ring but the stone in the ring that cures them and even so it is said faith saveth us but not by the owne vertue but because it layeth hold on Christ and makes us one with him The second use of faith is to sanctifie us in this world for it doth not onely justifie us and take away the guilt of sinne but also sanctifies us in this world and taketh away the corruption of sinne So we see it is said Act. 15. Their hearts were purified by faith and Galatians 5. 6. that Faith worketh by Love There be two workes of faith First it worketh in heaven for when we have sinned and grieved God and are smitten in conscience for it accused and condemned then faith worketh in Heaven by tendring and offering up Iesus Christ to God for our Redemption and satisfaction of his justice Secondly faith worketh in earth by stirring up sanctified and holy motions Now two waies it may stirre up good motions First by the meditation of the death of Christ Secondly by combination or conjunction with Christ First by meditation for faith doth carry us to the crosse of Christ there to behold the great paines that Hee hath suffered for us how his body was racked and tormented for us and to this end Faith makes us consider these three things 1. The cause of his death 2. The end of his death 3. The manner of his death First to consider the cause of his death that it was nothing in himselfe but it was our sinnes and transgressions that caused his body to be whipped his face to be buffeted his hands to be peirced his feete to be nailed his Head to be crowned his sides to be launced with a speate So that our sinnes are the cause of the death of Christ and of all the grievous things that he suffered as it is in three and fiftieth chapter of Esay and the fifth verse But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes wee are healed And 1 Peter 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that wee being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed and therefore seeing our sinnes caused this cruell death and grievous paine to be upon Christ to doe the like to our sinnes to goe to the crosse of Christ to take them downe to crucifie them to hang them up to take the speare out of Christs side to thrust it into the side of sinne as in the Revelation we may see a voyce came to the Church concerning bloody Babylon Reward her as shee hath rewarded you so doth this voyce come to a Christian concerning sinne reward it as that hath rewarded Christ that would not let Christ to be at rest till it had killed him even so we should not let sinne be at rest till wee have killed it saith Augustine If one should kill thy father or thy mother wouldest thou entertaine him into thine house wouldest thou let him feede at thy table nay thou wouldest hate him and spit at him nay saith he sinne hath not killed thy father and mother but it hath killed Christ thy Saviour and Redeemer what saith hee wilt thou then entertaine sinne wilt thou let it sleepe in thy bosome wilt thou feede it Nay saith he hate it defie it and spit at it as at a Toade The second thing we are to consider is the end of Christs death now all the paines that Christ suffered it was to abolish sinne so wee see Heb. 9. 26. But now in the end of the world hath hee appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe 1 Ioh. 3. 8. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that hee might loose the worke of the divell And therefore seeing the death of Christ was to abolish sinne if wee live in it we make all the paines of Christs sufferings and his death of none effect wherein judge you what an injury and wrong is offered to Christ the Prophet complaineth Esai 49. 4. That He laboured and spent his strength in vaine and for nothing such a complaint may Christ take up against us on the crosse For this cause was I sent of my Father into the world to abolish sinne and for this cause was I inclosed ninth moneths in the darke wombe of the Virgin and for this cause was I borne in a stable and layd in a manger for this cause was I thirty three yeeres labouring among you for this cause did I dye a cursed death on the corsse all this was to abolish sinne and therefore if men live in sinne still it may seeme to them Christ hath spent all his labour and strength in vaine nay he may say he hath spent his blood even all his blood even five streames of blood that came from him and all this in vaine to them It is said
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
thanke our selves and our sinnes for it thus much the very Heathen could tell Ionas that because there was a disorder in the creatures a great tempest causing the Sea to rage they thought there was somewhat amisse amongst them therefore they cast lots to see for whose cause it was And this shall bee the first use that seeing God made all good if there bee any defect in the creatures wee may thanke our selves and our sinnes Secondly Seeing God made all the creatures good wee must take heede wee doe not abuse and turne them to evill ends for God made apparell to cover our shame and to keepe us warme therefore wee must take heede we doe not use it to pride He made our meate to feede us and nourish us wee must take heede that wee abuse it not to gluttony and drunkennesse and so of the rest If a servant should be allowed a candle to doe his businesse by and should therewith goe and set the house on fire this were not the masters sinne but the servants hee shall answere for it for his master gave him a candle to doe his businesse by and not to set his house on fire so 〈◊〉 we abuse the creatures of God and turne them to wrong ends the fault is not in God that gave them but it is our fault and we shall answere for it Thirdly seeing God made all the world good wee should wish to reduce them to their former state which seeing wee cannot doe wee should labour to bring our selves to our former estate and goodnesse againe And should therefore apply our selves to the use of good meanes as preaching prayer reading of the word meditation the use of the Sacraments and the like If a man should make an Image or picture and it should bee defaced the eyes plucked out or the face deformed or wanting a hand or a part of it if the picture had life and reason whether would it goe to be renewed but to him that made it so seeing sinne hath defaced us whither should wee goe to be renewed but to him that made us As David makes his request Psal 119. 73. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learne thy commandements even so should we if we feele any defects or wants in our selves goe to God and desire him to restore us againe so that although wee cannot reduce the creatures to their former estate yet we must labour to restore our selves againe Sixthly In what time the Lord made heaven and earth hee could have made it in a moment in sixe houres but hee was sixe dayes in making it Here wee may see the great power of God that he was able to doe that in sixe dayes that all the powers of heaven and earth are not able to doe in sixe thousand yeares nay not at all it is a long time since the world was made and yet all the creatures in the world could not make such an heaven and earth in all this time we can doe nothing without time although wee bee willing to doe for our friend yet we will say I pray you give mee time I must have time to doe it in Solomon was thirteene yeares in building the Temple and the Iewes were fortie yeares but God made the world in sixe daies Men must have time for all things so we see Moses was a long time in delivering the people out of Egypt and Ioshua was seven yeares in placing of them and Daniel must have time to interpret the dreame but Gods power is not tyed to any time hee is able at an instant to helpe us and therefore wee must take heed we doe not tye the power of God unto time Matth. 19. 20. The woman that had a bloody issue did but touch the hemme of Christs garment and was made whole and Luk. 5. 13. He did but touch the Leper and he was made clean and Mat. 8. when his Disciples were at the sea in great distresse when the winds blew and the ship was in danger of sinking and drowning Christ did but speake a word and there was a great calme such a change the Lord can make still that if there be any danger upon our persons or in our estates hee is able to remove it and to make a great calme in a moment therefore wee are not to tye Gods power to any time hee can doe great matters in a short time God made the world and all things in it in sixe dayes but hee was thirty three yeeres in redeeming of us therefore the worke of our redemption is a greater worke than the worke of our creation So S. Ambrose saith O Lord I am more beholding to thee for that thou hast redeemed me by thy blood of thy Sonne when I was lost by sinne than I am for that thou hast created mee by the hand of thy power Therefore it is a pittifull thing that neither the worke of our creation nor the worke of our redemption can moove us the Lord may say to us as hee did to the children of Israel in Esai 5. 4. What is it that I can doe more for my vineyard that I have not done so the Lord may say to us what could I have done more for you I have created you and made you reasonable creatures and when ye were lost by sinne I have redeemed you I was content to bee borne of a Virgin to bee laid in a manger to shead my blood and to dye for you what could I have done more for you Wee read Gen. 30. 16. Leah said unto Iacob Come in unto mee for I have bought thee and have paid for thee with my sonnes mandrakes such a claime and challenge the Lord may lay to us Come unto mee live and abide with me for I have bought you and paid for you I have not onely bought you with mandrakes but I have bought you with mine owne blood The Lord was but sixe dayes in making the world but he was thirty three years in redeeming of it hence this Question But why was the Lord sixe dayes in making of this world he could have made it in a moment in sixe houres I answer it was to determine the time of mans labor that seeing God did labour sixe daies together before hee rested and then rested the seventh day so wee should labour sixe dayes and rest the seventh day as Leviticus 23. 3. Sixe daies shall worke bee done but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest Againe hee was sixe dayes to shew the ordinary course of Gods labour that God brings not things together at once but by little and little even as a man when hee filleth a bottle or vessell first hee filleth it to the quarterne and then to the halfe and then unto the top so it is in the worke of grace it is not perfect at an instant but in time it shall bee perfect for as the Lord was sixe daies in
could that God would send his Sonne therefore seeing he hath sent him wee must heare him unlesse wee will perish But how can wee heare Christ he is in heaven I answere two waies Christ reacheth his Church here 1. By His Word 2. By the Sacraments First Hee teacheth his Church by his Word for the Word is nothing else but the very voyce of Christ and therefore when wee read the Word wee ought to reverence it as the voyce of Christ speaking to us Secondly he teacheth his Church by the mystery of the Sacraments which when they speake to us in his name it is the voyce of Christ so 1 Pet. 3. 19. By the which Spirit he went preached to the spirits that were in prison c. Christ did not preach unto them in his own Person but by man so Ephes. 2. 17. it is said that Christ came and preached peace to them afarre off and to them that were neere Now Christ did not preach to the Gentiles in his owne Person but by the Ministery of his servants therefore as often as his servants come to us in his name with his word in their mouths it is Christ that teacheth us and then so often as we heare we heare the voyce of Christ as the Church saith in the Can. 5. 2. It is the voyce of my beloved The greatest part of the world do not beleeve this they are not perswaded when the minister speaketh unto them from the word of God that it is the voyce of Christ therefore they condemne it and doe not regard it but when we know that Christ speaketh unto us by the Ministery of his Word or by his servants we should say as Samuel said Speake Lord for thy servant heareth so Psal 85. David saith I will harken what God saith for he speakes peace to his people let the world speake of their pleasures profits and talke what they will of me I will hearke what God saith so a Christian must doe whatsoever the world talke and speake yet he must harke what Christ speaketh unto him Secondly he was Anointed to be a Priest as Psal 110. 4. Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedech so Heb. 7. 26. For such an high priest it become us to have which is holy harmelesse undefiled separated from sinners made higher than the heavens Of his Priestly office there bee two parts 1. To reconcile and make us at one with God 2. To make intercession for us In the Law when a man had sinned hee brought an offering to the Priest the Priest must offer for him and so make reconciliation betweene God and him so when we have sinned against God it must bee Christ that must reconcile us and make us at one againe with God But there is a great difference betweene Christs sacrifice and the Priests for the Priests in the Law made an atonement with the bloud of beasts but Christ makes an atonement with his owne bloud there was never a Priest in the Law that would shed his bloud for the best of the people but Christ hath shed his bloud for the meanest of his servants and therefore we have great cause to esteeme of the Priesthood of Christ for all the joy we have in God and hope of heaven hangs on him for when a man hath sinned against God there is no man dare stand before God till Christ hath ingaged himselfe answered God and made him at one with him when a man hath sinned against God all the Angels cannot make Atonement for him nor all the powers in heaven and earth all the gold in Ophir câ—â—â—ot redeeme a soule but it must be Christ with his owne blood that mâ—â—t make reconciliation with God for us therefore wee are highly to esteeme of the Priesthood of Christ for all other comforts and joy depend on it The second Priestly duty is that hee makes intercession for us being entred into the heavens within the clouds to appeare before God and to make intercession for us so we see Heb. 1. 25. Wherefore he is able perfectly to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them so Heb. 9. 24. for Christ is not entred into places that are made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into the heavens to appeare now in the sight of God for us there bee two bloods that cry unto God the blood of the Martyrs and the blood of Christ the blood of the Martyrs cries for to be revenged but the blood of Christ cries for mercie it cryeth not onely from the crosse for mercy but it cryeth now as freshly within the throne and the vaile as ever it did he makes request for us and as Austen saith hee makes request after this manner Good Lord grant mercy to them Father forgive them I have bought them with my bloud they be my poore servants Therefore here is a comfort to us when wee cannot pray as we ought nor wee have none that can helpe us this is the comfort that we Christians may have that Christ is ascended to heaven and makes intercession for us The use is that seeing we have such a benefit by the high priesthood of Christ it should make us hold fast our profession this is the use that Paul maketh saith he Seeing then we have a great high Priest which is carriâ—â— into heaven even Iesus the Sonne of God Let us hold fast our profession Let us therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede therefore let us not doubt but that wee shall be saved Indeede if the matter lay in us then wee might doubt of it but seeing Christ hath undertaken it we must not doubt unlesse wee will be so prophane to thinke that Christ will faile us I but what may a man doe that Christ may undertake the matter for him he must doe as a man that goeth to a Lawyer he tels him his case and he prayeth the Lawyer to undertake the matter for him so a Christian must doe hee must goe to Christ and make his case knowne to him and pray him to undertake the matter and so commit it unto him and then Christ will not faile him SERM. VIII HEBREWES 1. 8 9. But unto the sonne He saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy kingdome Thou hast loved Righteousnesse and hated iniquity therefore God even thy God hath Anointed thee with the Oyle of gladnesse above thy fellowes IN the Anointing of Christ there were five things offered to our consideration first what is meant by the anointing secondly with what he was anointed thirdly what it was that did anoint him fourthly to what he was anointed fifthly what benefit we have by his anointing He was Anointed to bee a Prophet a Priest and a King How Christ is the
the armes of Ioseph in the lap of Mary in the armes of the Preachers or of other good Christians but wee must labour to have him in our owne armes the armes of our faith for though we may see Christ in the armes of our teachers yet for all this wee may perish and therefore so much the rather ought wee to receive and get him into our armes and apply him into our hearts because hee comes to present himselfe to thee and to me therefore if we doe not receive him wee shall be guilty of his blood If we should bee in a roome and a childe should cry to come unto us would wee neglect the childe would not we cast away that which wee had in our hands and take the childe into our owne armes I doe not say if it were the childe of a king we would doe so but if it were the childe of an honest poore man and therefore much more should we receive the Childe Christ beloved this Chide Christ doth in a sort cry to come unto us and saith as it were thus O good people receive me into your hearts receive me into your soules I doe not desire it for my owne sake but you shall be the better for it therefore O good people why doe ye not receive me if we doe not wee are like to perish and we shall be guilty of his blood and therefore this is our duty when Christ doth offer himselfe unto us we should bee ready to receive him so old Simeon did for it is nothing to see him unlesse wee get him in our armes by our faith and embrace him therefore why doe we not fling away all things that doe hinder us and receive him into our hearts and lay hold on him which is life and salvation offered to us The second was that when he had seene Christ he praiseth God for it that although he had seene a great deale of trouble and felt a great deale of sorrow yet that he lived to see those happy daies wherein he might see Christ so howsoever we have lived to see a great deale of trouble and sorrow yet wee should praise God that hee hath let us live to see Christ in the face of the Gospell therefore wee have great cause to praise God that hee hath let us live till this time to repent us of our sinnes to get faith in Christ howsoever we have had a great deale of sorrow and trouble in this world yet the comfort is that we have repented of our sinnes and lived to make heaven and happinesse sure unto us Matth. 13. 16. saith our Saviour But blessed be your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare as if he should say O blessed be God for this happy time wherein we live to see that wee see and to heare that which we heare so Iohn 20. when the Disciples had seene Christ they told Thomas of it They were glad that after a great deale of trouble they had seene Christ at last so it is said Act. 8. 39. the Eunuch went away rejoycing when Christ was made knowne to him therefore whatsoever wee have beene before yet if wee can repent of our sinnes get Christ into our hearts by faith wee have great cause to praise and to thanke God that wee have lived to see these daies hast thou beene a swearer or a drunkard or a bad liver and repented of thy sinnes lay hold on Christ thou hast great cause to praise God and to thanke him that he hath let thee live to see these happy daies The third effect was that he did utter these speeches Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace c. Now this saying of Simeon was the first song in the new Testament that was sung in the Temple wherein foure things may be observed 1. His willingnesse and profession to dye 2. What account he made of death 3. In what disposition he doth desire to dye 4. The Reason why he was willing to dye The first is a profession of his willingnesse to dye Now Lord I am willing to dye I am well contented to depart in peace for I have seene enough I have seene the Saviour and redeemer of the world I have embraced him in my armes and therefore I am willing to dye now So when we have seene Christ we should bee willing to dye for wee have seene enough for our salvation as long as God would have us live wee should be willing to live and when he would have us dye we should be willing to depart we see if a master send his servant to trade and traffique beyond sea so long as his master will have him to trade and traffique so long hee will trade but when his master will have him come home hee will packe up all and come away so as long as God will have us trade and traffique heere we should be content but when hee will have us packe up all and come home wee should be contented to doe so In the Gospell we finde that Christ fled from death and danger when God would have him fly but when the time of his death came he went out to meete it so likewise Moses hee could have beene contented to passe over Iordan but when God told him that he should not but he must goe and dye in the mount Nebo hee went as willingly up as any man goeth to a feast or banquet therefore it is a pitifull thing to see how men doe hang upon the world at that time when God would have them dye Secondly what account he made of death men make much adoe about it are afraid of it but Simeon accounteth it but a departing out of this one roome into another a departing from men to God from earth to heaven from mortality to immortality therefore wee may see what account wee should make of it The Philosophers say that death is the most terrible thing that may be because they thinke it is an utter destruction of nature but Simeon accounts of it as of a remooving or departure from one place to another therefore he is not afraid of it but embraceth it as a doore or gate to passe from earth to heaven from men to God from mortality to immortality and this is the account that all men should make of death Gen. 15. 15. saith the Lord to Abraham but thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace and shalt be buried in a good old age so that death is nothing but a going to the holy men those that have died in faith before and Christ accounts of it Ioh. 17. 13. but as a going to God to the blessed Angels and holy Spirits departed so also Paul in one of his epistles Neverthelesse wee are bold and love rather to remoove out of this body and to dwell with the Lord. Ahasuerus Hester 2. 13 14. had two houses for his women one was the house of sweete perfumes and odors that they might bee
their courses it will grieve Christ that ever he prayed in the mount sweat in the garden died on the crosse therefore seeing the end why Christ suffered is to bring us to God let us not disappoint him of it Thus much for the generall end Now the particular end is twofold 1. To reconcile unto God 2. To abolish sinne First to reconcile us to God and to make us at one with him so 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being delivered from sinne should live in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed and Ioh. 1. 14. Behold the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world even as the Lambe in the Law tooke away sinne so doth Christ for in the Law when a lambe was to bee offered for the sinnes of the people they came and laid their hands upon the head thereof confessed their sinnes and so they were put upon the lambe which was killed and the man went free so Christ doth take away our sinnes which are laid upon him he is killed and we goe free therefore when the devill shall stand up at the day of judgement to accuse us and say we have sinned against God wee must not deny the matter for then we are cast and God may justly condemne us but wee must say it is true indeede Satan I have sinned against God I have done thus and thus against Him but I have had the Law for it I have answered it and although not in my selfe yet in Christ for he suffered and was killed for me and hath borne whatsoever God could require at my hands therefore seeing Christ hath satisfied thou canst not require any thing at my hands there is a rule in law that if a debt be paid they cannot require payment thereof againe therefore if we can prove payment of it by Christ it cannot be required of us againe Secondly Christ died to abolish Sinne for he did not onely die to reconcile us to God and beare that which wee should have borne but also to abolish and destroy Sinne therefore seeing Christ died to abolish it wee must take heed wee doe not strengthen sinne for if wee nourish it it will make all the death of Christ and his blood void to us when Ioshua destroyed Iericho Cursed saith he bee the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this Citie c. Iosh 6. 26. So seeing Christ hath suffered to abolish sinne cursed shall that man or that woman bee that buildeth it up againe therefore wee have great cause to weaken sinne and to decline it seeing hee had not suffered any thing but for it As 1 Sam. 25. 21. when David sent to Nabal a messenger and hee returned a churlish answer againe saith David Surely in vaine have I kept all that this fellow hath in the wildernesse c. so may Christ say if we live still in our sinnes and strengthen them in vaine have I suffered for them in vaine have I prayed and died on the crosse and therefore if wee live in our sinnes we make his death of none effect unto us Againe seeing Christ died to abolish sinne we must make this the end of our sufferings for that which was Christs end must be the end of our sufferings therefore doest thou suffer sicknesse losse of thy goods or other afflictions Let this be the end of thy sufferings to abolish sinne Afflictions are called Crosses because as wee know that crosses are to crucifie and kill men so every affliction must be as a crosse to crucifie and to kill sinne our vile affections and the immoderate lusts of our flesh many a man is contented to suffer afflictions but to what end to abolish sinne as Christ did no but for some by-respect of his owne we may not doe so for if we would have comfort in our sufferings that which was Christs end in his must be ours also Fifthly Of whom he suffered of God and of man this is a lesson for our learning not onely to suffer at the hands of God but also at the hands of men because this is part of our conformitie with Christ Ordinarily the people of God when they doe suffer of God doe not suffer of men and when they suffer of men doe not suffer of God but if it fall out so that we doe suffer both at the hands of God and men we should be quiet and contented with the good will of God and say as Eli did It is the Lord let him doe as it pleaseth him It is the corruption of the world that they can be contented to suffer at the hands of God but they cannot abide to suffer of men they are impatient when it is so and what men must wee suffer of the unjust the wicked men many can be contented to suffer at the hands of good men as David saith Let the righteous smite me Lord but we must be contented to suffer of the unjust men for Christ did not onely suffer at the hands of God but also of wicked men Now the sixth thing is What he suffered and here we have a double suffering for he suffered things 1. From God 2. From Men. The things he suffered from God were two First the cup of Malediction or of Gods curse tempered by our sinnes of which he drunke in the Garden Secondly Desertions on the Crosse the hiding of Gods favourable countenance from him wherein observe 1. How it wrought three afflictions in him 2. His carriage in that estate 3. The effects of it Secondly what he suffered from men in which foure things 1. Apprehension 2. Arraignement 3. Condemnation 4. Execution The first thing is the cup of Malediction which our sinnes tempered for him now see we what this bitter cup of Gods wrath which Christ did drinke wrought in him and here wee may consider these three Afflictions First Feare it is said Hee began to be afraid which was no ordinary or common feare but a dreadfull horrible feare such a feare as Moses had for which it is said of him Act. 7. 32. That hee trembled and durst not behold And such as David had when he said Psal 119. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements so it was not an ordinary feare but an horrible and a dreadfull feare At other times he was so full of holy courage and of an undaunted Spirit that his Disciples wondered at it for when they told him that the Iewes did lye in wait to destroy him he did not feare it yet now he was horribly afraid what was the reason of it There were two things that made Christ so to feare First because he was to stand before God in judgement clothed and apparelled with our sins If he might have stood before God in his owne righteousnesse then there had beene no cause of feare but because hee was to stand
countenance bent towards him this made him complaine on the Crosse My God why hast thou forsaken me Of which wee have two Vses First To prise the favour of God above all things and to joy in it howsoever men be displeased with us to make little account of our ease pleasure and profits but to prise the love of God above all things and to say with David Psalm 63. 3. Because thy loving kindnesse is better than life my lips shall praise thee And Psalm 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Secondly To mourne for the losse of Gods favour more than for the losse of worldly friends or for the losse of worldly goods or jewels thus wee see Christ did he was sorrowfull to see the angry countenance of God towards him Exod. 33. 4. we see when the Lord had told the people that an Angel should conduct them but he would no more go before them because they were a stiffenecked people they were dejected and no man put on his best rayment then Moses said If thy presence goe not carry us not hence So a Christian man must say when he is going out of his doore Lord carry me not from this place unlesse thy holy presence goe with me for if God be not with us we have just cause to be sorrowfull and heavie it is a pitifull thing that men can weep and sorrow for the losse of a wife or a childe or of some worldly goods but cannot weep for the losse of Gods favour Iudg. 18. 24. we see how Michah did weepe for the losse of a false god when the souldiers had taken away his gods he runnes crying after them and when they asked him why he cried saith he Yee have taken away my gods and now what have I more If Michah thus wept for the losse of his false gods how much more should we weepe for the losse of the true God And therefore men have great cause to weepe when they have driven away God from them by their sinnes The second cause of Christs sorrow was To make expiation and satisfaction for our sinnes because all sinnes are done and committed with delight therefore there must be sorrow and heavinesse to make expiation and satisfaction for them for it is a ruled case That as we doe commit sinne with delight so there should be sorrow to make satisfaction for it therefore wee are called often to weep and to mourne for our sins the greatnesse whereof we may see by the greatnesse of the sorrow that was in Christ therefore we must grieve and sorrow for our sinnes proportionably as Christ hath grieved and sorrowed for us seeing whatsoever we should have suffered he suffered for us Thirdly His sorrow was to leave us him for an example that as he sorrowed for sinne so unlesse we repent wee shall sorrow and weepe too Christ sorrowed and wept for other mens sinnes then wee have cause to sorrow and weepe for our owne sinnes to grieve throughly for them as Hosea 9. 1. saith the Lord Rejoyce not O Israel for joy as other people for thou hast goe a whoring from thy God So if we have sinned against God there Is little cause why wee should rejoyce therefore what must wee doe we must goe into the Garden with Christ weepe along after him fall downe flat upon the ground before God and never bee at rest till wee have assurance to our soules that all our sinnes are pardoned for shall Christ sorrow for our sins and we never be moved We see 2 Sam. 11. when Vria came to David hee bids him goe downe to his house and wash his feet yet he would not but slept at the doore of the Kings Palace then it was told David who demanded of him why hee went not downe to his wife his answer was The Arke and Israel and Iuda abide in Tents and my Lord Ioab is in the field shall I then goe into my house to eat and drinke c. So we must say My Lord Iesus is in the Garden weeping sorrowing sweating bleeding and grovelling on the ground for my sinnes and shall I live then in delight Nay I will sorrow and weepe for them for sinne will cost sorrow either here or in hell therefore better it were to weepe for them here in earth when we may have comfort and hope than to weepe for them in hell where wee shall never have comfort for sinne is like to a legge that is out of joynt that cannot be set without great griefe and sorrow The third Affliction that which was wrought in Christ was astonishment or an amazednesse Matth. 26. 38. the Greeke word doth signifie that he was in a great perplexity that he knew not whither to goe nor what to say nor how to winde out himselfe such an astonishment there was and such amazednesse in the holy soule of Christ what was the reason of it because the curse of God was to come upon him for our sinnes Oh thinke of this this was that which did so amaze and perplex him therefore if he was thus troubled and perplexed to thinke of the curse of God which hee was to undergoe what shall become of us what perplexitie and amazement shall we be in when we shall stand before God we shall hardly know what to doe or where to winde or turne our selves but wee shall desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon us and to cover us from the presence of God and from his angrie countenance And therefore let every man be afraid to live in his sinnes without repentance and never let him looke for hope of ease unlesse he doe repent and turne to God here wee have twenty trickes to put off the Law and to shift that but when wee shall stand before God wee shall have no shifts to excuse the matter SERM. XIV MATTHEW 20. 17. And Jesus going up to Ierusalem tooke the twelve Disciples apart in the way and said unto them Behold wee goe up to Ierusalem and the Sonne of man shall be betrayed unto the chiefe Priests and unto the Scribes and they shall condemne him to death And shall deliver him unto the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him and the third day he shall rise againe THe point now in hand is the Behaviour or Carriage of Chirst in his Afflictions set out two wayes 1. By his Prostration on the ground 2. By his Prayer First by his Prostration Luke saith hee kneeled downe but the other that he fell downe flat upon the ground on his face this is a strange thing that Christ fell downe on the ground not able to beare our sinnes whereas Hebr. 1. 1. Hee is able to beare up heaven and earth with his mighty Word And yet the heavie burthen of our sinnes pressed him downe to the ground Many a man makes a sleight matter of sinne but it is the heaviest burthen that may be for all other
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
the light of Nature wee have the light of Gods grace it it a fearefull thing when a man shall sinne against his conscience though a man sinne of weaknesse and of infirmity yet let us take heed we sinne not against conscience for what a pitifull thing is it that a mans conscience shall say as the Lepers said O we doe not well that we doe so I doe not well to sin to sweare to prophane the Sabbaths I doe not well to nourish any sin to backbite my neighbours It is a fearefull thing to sin against conscience all other accusers one thing or other will stop them either bribes or favour or fiendship or intreatie or flattery but there is nothing that will stop the accusing of evill conscience neither bribes nor flattery nor friendship nor intreaty Revel 20. 12. conscience is compared to a booke that all things are written in when there is question about a debt come to the booke and that doth manifest the matter so there is a question whether thou hast sinned or not come to thy conscience and that will resolve thee all thy sins are written there although thou doe not see nor feele them yet at the Iudgement day when the booke shall bee opened then all shall bee manifest as if they were but new committed Secondly other accusers doe accuse us but certaine times either at Terme time or when anger is stirred but an accusing conscience will give them no peace at any time the worme of conscience wil torment a man at all times in the night and in the day when hee is in company and when he is alone Thirdly other accusers a man may flie from for if they be in one country hee may flie into another country but there is no man can flie from the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse a man flie from himselfe Augustine saith all other plagues a man may fly from from the famine from the envie of man from the pestilence he may flie but he can never from an evill conscience Man saith he get thee into thy chamber or into the secretest place that may bee and although thou shut the doore yet thou canst not shut out the accusing of an evill conscience unlesse thou shut up thy selfe If a man were in a close chamber full of small lights and there were in the same roome one great light though he should put out all the other and leave but this one yet that were sufficient to disclose and to lay open his shame so in the chamber of this world there be a number of lights if all should be put out and there be left this great light of a mans conscience this is sufficient to discover and to lay open a mans shame Thirdly The strange silence of Christ that answered nothing though Pilate did urge him and it did concerne his life therefore the more ready he should have been as one would have thought to defend himselfe for naturally men are ready to defend their lives as the Devill saith of Iob all that a man hath will hee give for his life But see Christ was silent which shewes how ready he was to lay downe his life for us and how willingly this was the reason why Christ was silent and said nothing here we may see the great love of Christ that whereas we should have lost our lives have perished in hell for ever hee was contented to lay downe his life for us Now Christ hath not laid downe his life onely that wee should lay downe our lives for him againe but that we should lay downe our sinnes he was willing to part with his life and wee are not willing to part with our sins for his sake Hester 6. when Ahashuerosh could not sleepe in the night time he cals to a servant to reade in the Chronicles and then found what Mordecai had done in preserving of his life and so makes this inquiry But what honour and dignity hath there been done to Mordecai for it So when a Christian cannot sleepe in his bed hee should be thinking how willing Christ was to lay down his life for him he should make this enquiry what honour and dignitie have I done unto Christ for it Augustine saith this is the reasoning betwixt Christ and us O man wilt thou make a change with me wilt thou forgoe thy sinnes and take my bloud take the merit of my death and I will take the punishment of thy sinnes Fourthly His protestation and confession that hee is the Sonne of God for when Pilate heard that he was afraid that God was ingaged against him and to oppose himselfe against God he was loth this it was that made him to stop and stay the reverence hee had to the name of Christ O that we Christians had this reverence to the name of God that it might stop and â—â—ay us in the course of sinne Pilate was stayed at the mention of the name of God but we heare of the name of God every day from day to day and yet it cannot stop us in the course of our sinnes we see Gen. 39. 9. that the reverent awe that Ioseph had of the name of God kept him from sinning against God so David Psal 21. 22. Because I kept the wayes of the Lord I did not wickedly against my God for all his lawes were before me and I did not cast his Commandements from me And so here Pilate an Heathen did reverence the name of God this it was that stopped him and made him stand so fast for Christ Fifthly The holy commination of Christ saith hee Hee that delivered mee to thee hath the greater sinne There is no man that can have his hand in the death of Christ but he must needs sinne This was it that made Pilate a Heathen man loth to condemne Christ be cause he should sinne against God This must teach us that when wee heare it is a sinne to sweare or lye not to doe it though it be to save a mans life Wee have heard it is a sinne to prophane the Sabbath to mispend the time wickedly and yet neverthelesse dare we goe on and doe it Surely Pilate shall rise up in judgement against us at the last day and condemne us for it We see 1 Sam. 14. 33. when Saul heard that the people had sinned in eating of blood hee laboured to stoppe and to stay them O that there were such affection in Christians to labour to stoppe others but especially themselves in the course of sin For it is Gods great mercie that any thing comes in the way to stoppe or stay us in the course of sinne whether it bee our conscience or the admonitions of our wives or any thing else The Philosophers say that the upper Heavens would set all the world together if they were not staid by the nether but whether that be true or no this is that there is such greedinesse in man to commit sinne that
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
with Christ but I cannot see how this should be because there was none but Christ seene when hee rose againe it is said that the earth and the sea gave up their dead but we doe not read that the heavens gave up their dead The use hereof is that seeing the Angels and these Saints were contented when they had done the businesse and the worke of God they came for to lay aside their bodies and that they should dissolve and come to dust againe so when wee have done the worke of God wee came for in this world we should be contented meekely and patiently with the rest of our brethren to lay aside our bodies that they may dissolve and come to dust and ashes untill the time of the generall resurrection Having spoken thus of the manner of Christs rising now we come to the manifestation thereof for though no man saw him at the very instant when he rose yet when he was risen hee did manifest himselfe to the world so farre forth as was fit which may teach us that although the world doe not see the very instant or moment when we be humbled or when wee repent and turne to God or when wee are brought to an estate of Grace yet when we be converted and have turned unto God we must let the world see the fruits of our conversion so wee see the Theefe did as soone as he was converted hee did shew the fruits of his conversion for hee reprooved his fellow confessed his sinnes cleareth Gods judgements and pleadeth for Christ so Saint Iames saith shew me thy faith never talke thou hast faith unlesse thou shew it let the world see it shew it in thy speeches in thy actions and in thy life that thou art converted and turned unto God to this effect the same Apostle saith Chap. 3. 13. Who so is a wise man and is indued with knowledge amongst you let him shew it by good conversation so if thou hast repented and turned to God shew it in thy life and in thy speeches let thy words shew the fruits of it this is that which Christ himselfe exhorts to Matth. 5. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaven for it is not enough to have light in our selves but wee must let our light shine Christ did rise and no man saw the very instant and moment and yet when he was risen he did manifest himselfe to the world so though no man see the instant when wee were converted yet when we be converted we should shew the fruits of our conversion for as it is in the life of nature that a man cannot have life in him but it will appeare either by stirring breathing or panting so it is in the life of grace if a man have life in him it will bee seene by one meanes or other Secondly this may serve as matter of comfort Christ was not seene at the instant or moment when hee did rise and yet did shew by infallible tokens that he was risen many an one are troubled that they know not the very instant or moment of their conversion and therefore make question of their Christian calling but this example is fit to relieve such that although a man knowes not the very instant or moment when he was converted yet if he can proove by infallible tokens and markes he is converted he may resolve undoubtedly that he is called We see in nature that a childe hath life and yet the mother doth not know the instant ormoment of its life quickning but by the stirrings movings shee doth know there is life initiated in her childe so it is in the life of grace there may bee life in a man though he know not the very instant and moment when hee first received that life yet if hee have evident markes of it hee may have comfort that hee is converted though hee know not the time of it Now there were twelve severall times that Christ did appeare wherein he did manifest himselfe to the world it is too long to speake of all therefore I will speake of them that are most fit for our instruction There were five severall times that Christ appeared that day hee rose in 1. To Mary Magdalen 2. To the two women going from the grave 3. To the two Disciples going to Emmaus 4. To Simon Peter 5. To the Disciples being together onely Thomas away Now what is the reason that Christ appeared so many times that day he did rise on so that all the day long hee did appeare to one or other at one place or another to his followers and did spend it in holy exercises and in holy apparitions I answere it was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath therefore Christ did so many times appeare that day it is a great question amongst Divines who it was that did alter the Sabbath some thinke that it was the tradition of the Church but it is not the Church nor all the Churches in the world that can alter it it must be Christ onely that must doe it therefore he did appeare so many times that day to set it apart to holy uses by his owne example the Apostles did not institute the day nor dedicate it of themselves but gathered together by the divine knowledge they had that it was Christs meaning and will to teach them by his appearing so many times in one day to appoint that day for the Christian Sabbath and therefore the Apostle did put it in practise so wee see Act. 7. 20. and 1 Cor. 16. 2. and Revel 1. 10. where the name is given to it as the first day of the weeke and the Lords day whence it is manifest that Christ did dedicate and sanctifie the Christian Sabbath as Augustine saith well that by the resurrection of Christ on that day it was consecrated to be the Christian Sabbath The first appearing was to Mary Magdalen out of whom he cast seven devils And there bee three things to bee observed in this point of his appearing 1 The Cause why he did appeare to her 2 The Manner of his appearing 3 The end of it First The cause why hee did appeare to her not because shee was a great stateswoman a rich woman or a more holy woman than the rest for there was Mary the Mother of Christ an holier woman one would have thought hee would have appeared to Caesar or to Emperours and Kings to Noble men and to great men of the world or to the holiest and most sanctified women in the world or that he should have appeared to his Mother but he did appeare first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven devils one that was infamous and a great sinner yet she was penitent for her sinnes and a true convert as appeares in that she did shew such speciall love to Christ upon her conversion in attending
about his grave and this was the cause why Christ appeared to her and may teach us that although we be not Kings and Queenes noble men and women nor yet the holiest and most sanctified men and women although we be sinners yet if we be repentant sinners and shew speciall love to Christ upon our conversion hee will appeare to us and we shall see his glory therefore wouldst thou O man or woman have Christ appeare to thee and shew thee his glory then be a repentant sinner and shew speciall love to Christ upon thy conversion and feare not but Christ will appeare to thee and thou shalt see his glory So Christ saith Ioh. 14. 21. He that loveth me shall be beloved of my Father and I will love him and shew mine owne selfe unto him and dwell with him so likewise Gen. 18. we read that God appeared unto Abraham in such a familiar manner as he never did to any no not to Adam in the state of his innocency nor to Henoch in the state of excellency and why did he appeare so to Abraham because he had shewed specially love to Christ as wee may see in the Chapter foregoing that he obeyed God to the cutting off his flesh and the effusion of his blood even so if wee would have God come in a familiar manner to us to be at our tables at our labours and to be in our houses then we must shew speciall love to God in obeying his commandements if we repent us of our sinnes convert and turne to God and shew speciall love to Christ we are the men that shall enjoy Christ by the eye of faith now there bee six particular notes of Maries love First she continued seeking when others gave over Peter and Iohn sought him but when they came and saw nothing but the linnen clothes they gave over but Mary she continued still wherein shee shewed speciall love to Christ now in these two are figured two sorts of Christians the cold Christians are figured out in Peter and Iohn and the feruent Christians in Mary the cold Christian could be contented to have Christ but if he be gone he cannot helpe it he seekes but coldly to finde him O but the fervent Christian if he cannot finde him the first or the second day hee will never give over till hee have found him this is a speciall argument of true love so the Church doth Cant. 3. she never gives over seeking till she have found him Secondly that shee sought him with teares and weepes for the losse of him so when we can weepe for the losse of Christ and of Gods favour this is a note of true love wee see how Mary Magdalen could weepe for the losse of Christ the Angell asked her what she ailed saith she Doe you aske me what I aile they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him hee in whom I have laid up all my hope and all my comfort and joy so wee may say by our sinnes if any aske us why wee weepe we may reply our sinnes have taken away the comfortable feeling of Gods favour they have taken away Christ from me he in whom I have laid up all my joy and all my comfort and hope and have I not cause to weepe therefore it is a pitifull thing that a man can weepe for the losse of a wife or a childe or a sonne or some worldly wealth or because he is sicke and wants health but will never weepe for the losse of Christ and for the want of Gods favour it is said of a learned Father that there bee no teares so acceptable with God as the teares that be shed for sinne for all other teares that be shed for worldly losses fall to the ground but these teares are kept in a Bottle Thirdly she shewed her love to Christ in her diligence in seeking of him It is said she bowed her selfe downe at the grave to looke in there and yet Peter and Iohn had told her there was nothing but the linnen clothes yet she looâ—ed this way and that way to see if by any meanes she could have espyed Christ or have any hope of finding him shee was loth to leave the place where she thought she might finde him this was an infallible signe of true love Mary sought for Christ in the grave but wee must seeke for Christ in the face of the Gospell there hee is to bee found now or no where else therefore when men seeke for Christ in the use of good meanes and in the preaching of the word although they do not presently finde him yet if they be loth to give over seeking of Christ because that is the place where they may have hope of finding of him they may expect good successe as Ioh. 5. wee see when the waters had beene troubled by the Angell the man that lay at the poole side of Bethâ—â—â— a long time to be healed stil one or other stepped in before him and was healed yet he lay still till at last Christ healed him so wee should come to the preaching of the word to seeke Christ to repent of our sinnes and to turne to God where although wee see others to catch away the blessing from us yet let us continue still and we shall speed therefore as the shepheards Luk. 2. exhort one another saying Come let us goe to Bethlehem to see the thing the Angels tell us of so we should exhort one another and say Come let us goe to the preaching of the word where we shall see Christ not lying in a cradle but crucified for our sinnes and gloriously sitting at the right hand of God in his throne It is reported of the Elephant that although he cannot swimme as other beasts can yet he will bee wading about the water so though wee cannot doe as other Christians doe yet let us keepe about the waters let us keepe about good meanes and at last we shall finde Christ to our comfort SERMON XXXII IOHN 20. 11 12 13 c. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping and as she wept shee stooped downe and looked into the sepulchre And seeth two Angels in white sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had layen And they say unto her Woman why weepest thou Shee saith unto them Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him c. I Declared the last day that Christs first appearing was to Mary Magdalen out of whom was cast seven devils who had beene infamous and a very great sinner but was become a convert and a repentant sinner and had shewed speciall love to Christ upon her conversion and repentance in attending about the grave and therefore although she was none of the great gallants of the world nor yet the holiest and most sanctified woman yet because she was a repentant sinner and shewed great love to Christ
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
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
to thanke God that it is not so common amongst us as it hath been There is also another fault amongst us that a poore man many times stands excommunicated three or foure yeers together indeed there may bee a fault in the poore man to stand so long but let us take heed it bee not for want of our helpe Therefore as wee are ready to contribute to the necessities of their bodies so we should bee to contribute to them in this case But here may a Christian demand whether were a man best to give money or to stand excommunicated still this question I will answer by another question what if a man fall into the hands of Theeves were hee better to lose his money or his life I answer hee were better to lose his money because his life is the greater even so a man were better to lose his money than the meanes of grace which is the greater Another may here object and say I but how if a man cannot bee absolved without hee should sinne against God and offend his conscience To this I answer that if the case be so that he cannot be absolved but he must sinne against God then hee were better lose the Communion of men which is the lesser than the Communion of God which is the greater as Iohn 9. wee see the blind man whom the Pharisees had cast out Christ meets with and said unto him doest thou beleeve in the Sonne of God as if hee should say notwithstanding this censure thy cause is good thou art a blessed man in like maner although the censure of excommunication hath passed upon thee if thou beleevest in the Sonne of God thy case is good this may comfort Christians Lawyers have a saying that unjust Lawes binde no man and Bellarmine saith that there is a double Communion an externall and an internall Communion the externall Communion of the Church of God is in the word preached prayer and in Sacraments the internall is in the graces of the Spirit Faith love and other graces Now a man may bee cast out from the externall Communion the word and Sacraments as when a man is put into prison or banished and yet may have the internall Communion with the Church a man may be cut off from his brethren in regard of outward societie but hee can not bee cut off from Christ And these bee the uses wee are to make of this point Now that wee have spoken of the Nature of the Church in the next place we are to speake of the properties of it which are two 1. It is a Holy Church 2. It is a Catholike Church First The Church of God is Holy there is a company of Holy People here in this world as Zech. 8. 5. thus saith the Lord I will returne unto Sion and will dwell in the midst of Ierusalem and Ierusalem shall be called a Citie of Truth and the Mountaine of the Lord of Hosts and the Holy Mountaine so in Dâ—â—iel the Church is called the Holy People of God and Revel 22. 2. saith S. Ioh. And I saw the holy Citie the new Ierusalem come downe from God so also 1 Cor. 3. 17. Saint Paul saith For the Temple of the Lord is Holy which ye are Therefore seeing the Church of God is an assembly of Holy People accordingly as it is Holy wee the Members thereof must labour to be Holy Now the Holinesse of the Church is opposed unto three things that seemeth to take away Holinesse from it First the judgement of the world for it thinkes that of all societies they are the vilest and the worst they thinke them to be but a company of dissemblers and hypocrites that professe the Word but deny the Power of it but we that are Christians beleeve that the Church of God is Holy though the World thinke them a company of dissemblers David saith Psal. 13. Yet God is good to Israel even to the pure in heart and in the 14. of Deut. 2. we read For thou art an Holy People to the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a precious people to him Therefore howsoever the World condemnes them yet wee beleeve that God hath a Holy company of People in the World The second thing that seemeth to take away Holinesse from the Church is that it is a united company of good and bad together for I have shewed you that the Church of God is like to a Flocke wherein are Sheepe and Goates a Floore wherein is Corne and Chaffe a Field wherein are Tares and Wheate and yet these bad persons are no true Members of the Church but like bad humours in the body Againe the Faith of a Christian opposeth and doth beleeve that there is a company of Holy People and that the wicked that live amongst them doe not defile the Holy things of God for it is Pauls rule 1 Cor. 11. 26. Let a Man therefore examine himselfe c. whereupon saith Augustine Marke thou that art a good Man thou mayest eat and drinke with comfort if thou doe examine thy selfe and againe he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not so to thee that art a good Man but to the wicked that came like swine without any preparation at all The third thing that seemes to take away holinesse from the Church is the remainders of sinne and corruption for there is no Man in the estate of Grace but hath complained of this So David Psal 40. 12. My sinnes hath taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up and Paul complayneth Rom. 7. The good thing that I would doe that doe I not but what I hate that doe I c. so in the best estate there is some remainders of sinne Therefore although the World and the Divell should condemne them yet we beleeve the Church of God is Holy SERMON LXVII 1 CORINTHIANS 3. 17. For the Temple of God is holy which yee are HAving spoken of the Nature of the Church we began to speake of the Properties of it the last day being two First we beleeve the Church of GOD is Holy Secondly that it is Catholike agreable to that part of our Christian profession Now the Church of God is holy foure manner of wayes First In regard of the Holinesse of their Faith or by the Holinesse of their Faith All other societies are fouly spotted and tainted with errour against the foundation but this remaines unspotted in the foundation therefore the Church is Holy because their Faith is Holy So Iude 20. But ye beloved edifying your selves in your most holy Faith keepe your selves in the Love of God So Matth. 7. 6. saith our Saviour Give not that which is holy to Dogges It cannot be denyed but that there may bee errours in the true Church for as they bee subject to all other sinnes so are they to the sinne of ignorance as
of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke before God in newnesse and holinesse of life and then after this life we shall live in all blessednesse in the kingdome of Heaven for ever SERMON LXXI LVKE 1. 77. To give knowledge of salvation unto his People by the remission of their sinnes AT length wee are come to the second maine blessing and benefit that God giveth unto us in this life the forgivenesse of sinnes wherein two things are to be considered First That the forgivenesse of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth to his People here in this World Secondly That this blessing appertaineth to this life onely if we have it not here let us not looke for it in the life to come For the first That the forgivenesse of sinnes is one of the greatest blessing that God giveth to his People in this world We see Esay 33. 24. it is said The People that dwell therein shall have their iniquitie pardoned So Esay 40. 1. Comfort ye comfort ye my People saith God speake yee comfort unto Ierusalem and crie unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquitie is pardoned for she hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sinnes and Psal 32. David pronounceth the man blessed that hath his sinnes pardoned therefore Matth. 1. the Angell said to Mary and thou shalt call his Name Iesus for he shall save his People from their sinnes so then it is cleare by the Scripture that the pardon of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth in this life It is a great blessing indeed to have food and rayment with things fit and needfull for this life but the pardon of our sinnes is a greater blessing than that for take any man abounding in all these things riches goods honours and credit yet if he want the pardon of his sinnes he is a miserable man and stands in a wofull condition for he stands not on cleare grounds The prisoners in the Tower are in a worse estate and condition than the poorest waterbearer is for though he have all good diet attendance fine roomes and a soft bed to lie on yet in his owne sense he is miserable because he lookes every day for his arraignment when sentence shall be given against him so if a man flow in all the wealth and deliciousnesse the world can afford and yet be unreconciled to God and hath not repented his sinnes he is in a worse condition and estate than the poorest of Gods Saints though they have but bread and water because that every day hee may looke when hee shall have the finall sentence pronounced against him to the wofull confusion of him for evermore When every thing goes well with us it is an hard matter for us to see the pardon of our sinnes to bee one of the greatest blessings but if the Lord should open our eyes to see our sinnes and to feele the burthen of them a little being touched in conscience for them then if the world were set on the one hand and the pardon of our sinnes on the other we would choose the pardon of our sinnes before all this world The use hereof shall be seeing the pardon of sinnes is one of the greatest blessings that God giveth in this world therfore though God give us food and raiment things needfull and necessarie for this life yet we should not be at rest till we finde the pardon and forgivenesse of our sinnes most men now a-dayes labour for these outward things never seeke for the pardon of sinnes but every one should checke himselfe and say I have laboured a long time for these outward things for a little bread and cloath yet the time is to come that ever I sought for the pardon of my sinnes the greatest blessing of all Exod. 8. 8. wee read how Pharoah came to Moses and Aaron saying Pray yee unto the Lord that hee may take away the frogges from mee Hee desired not him to pray to take away his sinnes which was the cause of them Iust the same is the case of the men of this world they cry out take away this judgement this sicknesse this lamenesse take away this povertie but never pray to God to take away their sinnes which are the cause thereof Gen. 15. God made to Abraham great and large promises who replies to God Lord what is all this seeing I goe childlesse so when God hath given a man Riches and goods and what the heart of a man can wish for yet he should say unto God Lord what is all this seeing I want the pardon of my sinnes therefore above all things Lord forgive mee my sinnes and pardon them The second thing is that pardon of sinnes appertaineth to this life onely for there are two sorts of blessings some that appertaine to this life some to the world to come those that appertaine to this life are First The Communion of Saints Secondly The forgivenesse of sinnes Here a man must seek it for so Christ shewes Matth. 5. agree with thine adversarie whilest thou art in the way Now Augustine saith that the time of life is the way to the judgement barre and therefore while wee are in the way wee must labour to seeke peace with God and the pardon of our sinnes lest our adversarie accuse us to the Iudge and the Iudge deliver us to the jaylour and the jaylour cast us into prison whence wee shall not come out untill wee have payed the uttermost farthing And Salomon saith Eccl. 9. 10. All that thy hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neither worke invention nor knowledge in the grave whither thou goest So S. Cyprian saith when a man is once out of this world all opportunitie of doing good is gone So Chrysostome here in this world one must finde the pardon of his sinnes in the world to come it will bee too late to finde it And so Augustine there is a twofold Repentance a fruitfull Repentance which is in this life and penall or unfruitfull Repentance in the life to come so the wicked in Hell may repent them of their sinnes the whoremonger of his whroedome swearers of their swearing and the drunkard of his drunkennesse but this kind of Repentance is unfruitfull because they have no good by it but it serveth to increase their further torment But the fruitfull Repentance is in this life onely therefore we are taught hereby to make it our wisedome to lay hold on the good time that God giveth us to repent us of our siâ—nes to bee reconciled unto him and seeke favour at his hands for if we bee once dead and layd in the grave all opportimitie of doing good is taken away If a man sends his servant to the market to buy such things as they stand in need of when the market bell rings hee must apply himselfe to buy the things that
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
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
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