As ye knovv after vvhat manner I vvas among you for your sake As ye know then they knew the power So brethren there will be no Congregation of the Lord that will be so senslesse and dead but there wil be some that vvill haue that Spirite of discretion in them know who speakes with power and who not Euerie man in the Congregation will not haue it but certainlie in all congregations there will be some that will know emptie words and discerne them And therefore let euerie man that speakes in the name of the Lord speake so that he may take the people to whom this discretion is geuen to be witnesse of the power and the Spirite where-with he preached Now all this is for their cause all the graces Paul had was for their cause All grace is giueÌ„ to meÌ„ for the Church they were not for himselfe Matter word power spirite all was for their cause what euer grace any member gets all is gotten and geuen for the whole bodie the grace that the eye of the bodie gets the grace the hand gets all is for vpholding the bodie and if the Lord had had no other regarde but of the hand onelie he would not haue geuen it the grace to grip So is it in the bodie of Christ for if he had not had an other respect to Paul but for himselfe onelie he had neuer receyued these graces So Iames Peter Iohn c. all their graces are for the well of the Church The Apostle 1. Cor. 3. 21. sayes All is yours whither it be Paul Apollos or Câ—phas al is yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods Then the man that hath gotten the Spirite and excels aboue his neighbours in graces looke that in pride he contemne not the least menber of the bodie the eye must not lightlie the foote for if it looke to the skyes and let the foote stumble it shall perishe it selfe so who hes gotten great graces let him take them and lay all down at the feete of the Church and distribute them to the well of the Church and say I got them all for your cause The Apostle hauing gotten a reuelation and assurance he sayeth God gaue it for the Church So when thou hast gotten any grace giue it out to the Church in humilitie whither the gift be spirituall or temporall or else it had beene better thou had neuer receyued it yea let a King bestow all his graces vpon the Church for his calling is for the Church and except there wer a Church there should not be a King woe to them that knowe not this end that all Kingdomes and policies standes for the well of the Church Daniel tolde Nabuchadnezar an heathen King that his Kingdome was for the standing of the Church The Lord oppen the eyes of men to se that they do their duetie in their vocation that at that last day they may be found to be members of that bodie To goe forward the Apostle gathers the election of the Thessalonians first from that power he had to vtter the word that for their cause secondly by the effectualnes powerful working of this God within them Brethren if the power that God hes geuen the preacher for vttering of his Gospell for their well be an argument to them of their saluation hovv much more must the effectual working of the Gospell be an argument of their well Ioyne these two together the powerfull preaching of the Spirit the working therof these two makes the assurance of the election of the hearers And by the contrair if there be nothing but speaking without power no effectualnesse in the heart it will not be the speaker that will auaile it wil be ineffectuall to them to their saluation So thou must finde the effectuall working of the Spirite in thee which must be thy warrand But to come to the words And ye are become follovvers of vs and of the Lord and receyued the vvord in great affliction and vvith ioy of the holie Ghost These are the words ye se this effectualnesse in the Thessalonians stands in imitation and following not so much of him as of the Lord of whom he was a follower Well to be short the effectualnesse of the Gospell in the hearer ye fe consists in the imitation of the speaker when the hearer imitates in lyfe the preacher and aboue all imitates in life and conuersation the Lord Iesus Christ followes Pastors as they follow the Lorde onelie and no otherwise If then the effectualnesse of the Gospel in the people stands to imitate thee looke thou that there be matter of imitation of thee looke how thy mouth speaks looke thou speake as Christ speaks otherwise speake not except thou may say as Paul sayes when he hes preached to the people ye are followers of me I am made a guide to you going before ye are followers at the least if they wil not follow thee look that thy life be good thogh they shold run away go thou forward in the way of life Preaching wil not do the turne if thou be not a light going before the people all thy words shall do no good and thou shalt neuer be partaker of that glorie thou speaks of Then mark againe Wherin stands this imitation And receyued sayes he the vvord vvith great affliction There the imitation of the Preacher not only in receyuing the word deliuered by him not onlie by following him in doing but chieflie by following him in suffering affliction Is he afflicted for the delyuering of it thou that receiues it follow him in affliction I remeÌ„ber Paul in the second Epist to Timothie Cha. 3. v. 10. 11. 12. where he layes downe many things in himselfe to be followed but chieflie his doctrine maner of liuing his purpose his life lenitie patience then he sayes my persecution and affliction in Christ Now he sticks on this last he specially bound Timothie to that and he sayes in generall as it were to euery godlie man All that is vvilling to liue godlie in Christ shall suffer affliction thou must be one of that nomber Timothie Brethren we will be all content to follow in doing the Pastor Hes he faith we will follow his faith hes he any other thing in him we follow him in it but wheÌ„ it comes to the crosse then we will leaue him we will let him alone no if it were Christ himself going out of Ierusalem to Golgatha wher he suffered we wil let him go all alone will abide in Ierusalem It is vaine to thinke that affliction onlie pertaines to the speaker and not to the hearers The Apostle sayes hauing receyued the word of God with great affliction No affliction is the vnseparable companioÌ„ of the Gospel in this life heares thou and receiues thou the word make thee for affliction And so Paul to Timothie makes affliction the necessare companion of the Gospell 2. Timoth 1. 8. It bydes with thee heere on the earth
discharge of a King in keeping the people in good order and peace will be the meane of thy crowning in heauen Art thou a pastor intending to win manie soules to the kingdome of heauen it shall be a meane of thy crowning in that great day When a crowne shall be set on a kings head or a pastors head it shal not be his calling that shal be the cause of his crowning he was an Emperor therefore he must haue a crovvne in heauen it vvill not follow if there be no more He vvas a pastor therfore he must haue a crovvne in heauen no it shall be that blessing and frute that God gaue thee in the faithfull discharge in thy calling heere that shall be the meane of thy crowning And therefore let neuer fleshe glorie in any calling if there be no more if the blessing of the Lord be not with thy calling thou hast cause of mourning and thou shalt say in that day woe to me that euer I was a King an Emperour a Pastor if there be not a faithfull discharge of thy calling the greater damnation falles vnto thee the greater thy calling be Now to end he is speaking of this rewarde that he was to receiue at Christs comming and he speakes not of these earthlie stipends how beit their be much adoe and stryfe for them in the land if they wer neuer so selie he speakes not of these goods or anie thing that pertained to them but the reward of his Apostleship he speaks of is that he claimes themselues ye are my hope sayes he ye are my ioy euen ye your selues So in one worde the rewarde of a faithfull Apostle shall not be the 〈◊〉 of this earth for as niggard as men are of it no it shall not be his manâ—e his 〈◊〉 two or three â—halders of â—â—â—uall or an hndreth marke rest all not be this but it shall be the soules of all them hee did vvinne heere on earth and the Lord shall say to him take them and let them be a matter of joy of glorie and honour for euer to thee Well he will not wishe ought of the durt of the earth but their owne selues whom he will professe as the rewarde of his faithfull calling to his euerlasting joy I goe forward before whom and in whose presence shall this joy and crowne of glorying be He sayes before the Lord Iesus Christ it must be done in his sight hee must be before hee must be the doer of all it must be he that shall take thee by the hand and giue thee to the Apostle and pastor and saye Take man there is the matter of thy glorie and crowne make it a matter to thee of thy joy for euer Brethren there is no joy but in the face and presence of Iesus there is no light but that that comes from his face and countenance It is true the pastor ministers light but if in the meane time the light of Iesus shine not in thy heart all is but vaine and lost labour And therefore Paul 2. Cor. 4. 6. sayes all this light must come from Iesus Christ and thou must holde vp that heart of thine that the light of Iesus may shine in it And he sayes also as soone as the heart is turned the vaâ—le is remoued 2. Cor. 3. 16. and the face of the Lord illuminates thee For what trow you the light be the joy be the glorie be that we shall receiue in one word vvhat trow you heauen be Al the light in heauen is nothing but as a reflexe of that light that is in Iesus Christ al the light and glory of heauen is 〈◊〉 like sparkles scattred from him for all glorie is in him And therefore if ever thou looke for joy and glorie addresse thy selfe for Ieses Christ and as thou wouldst liue either here or hence 〈◊〉 to his presence and thinke neuer thou art well vntill you get 〈…〉 that presence Let nothing so bewitch thee 〈…〉 of heart vntill thou getst some light of Iesus Christ 〈…〉 is no life nor joye within him I aske thy conscience Didst thou euer feele that solide joy and life but when thy heart was set on that countenance of Iesus Foole thou mayst rejoice like a dog or beast with a sensuall pleasure but woe to thy joye and peace there is no peace to the vvicked for when thou art so passing thy time out of Iesus the judgement shall sodainelie ouertake thee for there is no saluation out of Iesus When shal this be At this comming It is true we vvalke heere in his presence and that joye that comes downe from Heauen it comes through that glorious bodie wherewith he is cled but the sacietie of all shall not be vntill the eye see it thy glorie shall not be perfited while then I tell you all the light we haue now the Apostle calles it the light of the Euangell of the glorie of God it is his face that shines in a mirror thou seest him no otherwise but then this mirror shall be taine avvay and the face of Iesus shall be holden vp in your sight Brethren while we are here the light coÌ„mes from heauen and ouer shadowes and transformes the soule onlie and that not fullie but in a part but when he shall come he shall transforme not the soule onelie but these vilde bodies and make them conforme to his glorious bodie Phil. 3. 21. And so there must be a greater force in his owne presence nor is in the mirror of the Gospell And thou that takest a pleasure to see Iesus in the mirror of the Gospell and to be ouershadowed with the light of the Gospell the face of Iesus shall shine on thee and by the contrair thou that takest no pleasure in the mirror of the Gospell thou shalt neuer attaine to the sight of Iesus Wilt thou continue in hatred of the ministrie of Iesus Christ thou shalt neuer see the glorious countenance of Iesus In the end of this chapter not being content to tell this once he sayes it againe yes ye are my ioy This doubling proceedes of a persuasion that he had of that glorie in a word let a Minister be faithfull to winne many soules to pleasure God and Iesus Christ who will recompence him so aboundantlie The glorie is sure the joy is sure and if he finde faithfulnesse and a blessing in his calling in this lyfe as the joye and glorie is certaine so when he is going out of this lyfe he may be sure and may say with confidence I shall enter in my joy and my soule and bodie shall be crowned with his crowne of joy and glorie and all in the presence of the Lord Iesus To whom with the Father the holie Spirite be all praise AMEN THE TENTH LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 3. vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 1 Wherefore since vve could no longer forbeare vve though it good to remaine at Athens alone 2 And haue
God for feare that wrath come out from his angrie face and burne it vp The Apostle Heb. 12. 14. sayes Without holinesse no man shall see God for if they see him at shall be to their destruction When he looks 〈◊〉 the heart and findes not holinesse and cleannesse there his looke shall destroy the heart and he shall make it tremble and shake at his presence Brethren many hes experience of an euill conscience vncleannesse makes euer an euill conscience and a man with an euill conscience is not able to stand in the sight of God There is not an vncleane body but he findes this in experience They runne euer to some hole and cannot abide the holie sight of God he is holie thou vnholie he looks throgh thee thou canst not abide his sight Now it is true our compearance before God and his Tribunal shall stand in the righteous merits of Christ Iesus except we be cled with that perfit righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs by faith ther is no slanding for vs. Rom. 5. 1. But it is as true if thou findst not again in some measure some holinesse and cleannesse inherent in thy self thou shalt neuer stand before God for where the righteousnesse of Iesus is wher remission of sins is in any man there of necessitie must be some measure of holinesse purenesse of life in him also If thou be justified by the fre mercy of God in Christ of necessitie thou must be sanctified must haue some spark of godlinesse in thy selfe for those whom he hes justified he also hes sanctified So when euer a man hes the justice of Christ imputed vnto him of necessitie he must haue a share of this justice inherent in himself wants he a part of this holinesse brag as he will he hes no cleannesse throgh the blood of Christ Iames sayes If thou hast faith let me se it thy vvorks 2. 18. If any by grace be sanctified in Christ let them vtter it in some measure in works otherwaies they lie So this holds sure No standing to vs before God except there be holinesse in vs. Now the stiles are to be marked in the text which are giuen to God First he is called God then our Father The name of God a name of Majestie and of great glorie The name of Father a name of homelinesse and louingnesse Marke it If God vvere nothing else to vs but God that is to say but an high Maiestie full of all glorie if that Majestie dimmitted not himselfe to be a louing Father to vs through Iesus there were no standing for vs before him our heart durst neuer present the selfe before him A sinne is not able to looke vpon God as he is God onelie in Majestie Honour Glorie and Iustice No the whole Majesties of the world dare not face him as he is God onely All our compearing before him is because as he is God in Majestie and glorie so in Christ he is become a louing Father to vs and if vve receiue not the Spirite that is called the Spirite of adoption testifying to our spirite that he is become our Father in Iesus Christ and we are adopted in Christ and therefore opens our mouthes to cry Abba Father vve would neuer haue a face to looke to him nor a mouth to speake to him And so as he is become a Father to vs in Christ so craue that thou mayst get that Spirite of adoption that thy mouth may be opened wide with sweetnesse to cry Abba Father Moreouer these very stiles learns vs how our harts should be disposed when we come and stand before him euen heer in his congregation church where his presence is We are now in his sight and presence He is a God in Majestie A Majestie would haue feare and reuerence So ther is the first thing stand before this Majesty of God in feare and reuerence Then there must be more then this he is a Father and therefore thou shouldst loue him so thou shouldst both reuerence and loue him together If these two be together they shall mak thee to be in good temper to stand before God Now come to the time when the hart shal be established It is at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ It is true brethren euen in this life before that glorious appearing of Christ we stand before God in holinesse and our hearts are established before him without rebuke in a manner and euen now at this present time who euer they be who hes holinesse in their hearts they finde in effect their harts standing in his presence when they looke to that face of his Majestie shining in the Gospell with the eye of faith the heart is established before the face of God and God is pacified and beholds them in quietnesse Let all men discend in their hearts and if they haue holinesse I assure them they will haue peace and quyetnesse in the hart when they think on him Then this is true Euen in this life before the great day we stand before him established in holinesse but it is as true so long as we liue in this life ther is euer a peece of vnquyetnes in the harts of the most godlie and there are none of vs who can find so peaceable an heart before God as we should haue There is euer so long as we liue heere a peece of euill conscience for sinne The cause is because so long as we liue heâ—r we are but holy in a part and that in a verie sober part sinne leaues vs neuer and therfore the prick in the conscience for sinne leaues vs neuer And where this euill conscience is there must euer be a peece of feare and terrour to stand before that heauenlie presence But vvhen the Lord shall come in that latter day which is called the day of judgement when Christ shall appeare in that great day the heart of the godlie shall be established before him without any feare or terrour If thou be one of the chosen of God thou shalt stand before the face of God vvith an heart in peace vvithout any terrour But ô how great shall the feare of the heart of the wicked men be the cause is because thou shalt not so soone see the face of the Lord Iesus that faire glorious face but as soone in the moment of thy resurrection thou shalt be transformed in a perfite holinesse both in body and soule And therefore the Apostle sayes Philip. 3. 21. When we shall see him We shall be transformed and this vyle body of ours shall be made conformable to his glorious body and vvhen vve shall see him vve shall be made like him in glorie and holinesse vvithout any spot or vvrinckle or any part of deformitie in bodie or soule What then is it that puts this terrour in our heart to stand before God Onely sinne So when all sinne shall be taken away all feare shall be taken away Then seeing there is no perfite quyetnesse vntill vve
execute justice vpon this ingrate world for the contempt of the light of the Gospell The Pope is Gods burrio whom God sendes for to plague this ingrate world for the contempt of the Gospell of Iesus Christ When this great vniuersal apostasie began the great Antichrist was sent by God to be the worker of it And brethren what trow ye is the cause of this trouble sent in our Church this day This high contempt of the light of the Gospel hes beene the cause and if we continue in this contempt troubles shall not leaue off This same Antichrist the Pope by his supposts shall make adoe amongst vs the Lord shall send an auenger to plague the soules of men that will not beleeue the Gospell Another thing marke here He sayes not that God shall suffer him and suffer strong illusions to be wrought by him but he sayes he shall send them he shal be an efficient a doer and a principall directer of this turne Then ye will aske Is God the author of euill I answere there are two sortes of euill there is one euill that they call the euill of a fault there is another euill that is called the euill of punishment according to that saying of the Prophet There is not one euill in the cittie that is there is no punishment in the cittie that the Lord doeth nor As to the euill of a fault in sinne he is not the author and worker of it but suffers it to be wrought by euill men And as to the other the Lord is the author of it as that saying of the Prophet before vttered by me witnesseth And therefore Hell as it is a punishment is ordeined by the Lord and so this place is to be vnderstood Who hardned the hart of Pharao Who giues vp men to a reprobate mind Is it not the Lord to punish their sinnes But I will not insist in this matter Lastly I note in this place that this plague the Apostle speaks of here is a blinding and deceiuing of the minde There are two powers of the soule the minde and the hart This plague is especially the plague of the minde I shall make this cleare to you There are two sortes of lightes in the minde there is a naturall light wherewith we are borne and ther is a supernaturall light which we get by the word and Spirit of Christ Now there is such a conjunction betweene these two that if a man when the supernaturall light is offered from Heauen refuse and contemne it looke what will follow The Lord from the Heauen in his just judgement shall pluck from him the naturall knowledge and set him vp blind in thinges naturall and common he shall pluck the common sense from him that is he shall render him ouer to a reprobate mynd without al judgement and discretion What shall follow then Then like a mad man he shall run here and there to fin he shall passe ouer the bounds of common honesty he shall leape ouer all the lawes of the second table he shall be a rebell to God and man he shall be a murtherer and a theefe and he shall follow all concupiscence in the world and as for the first Table which is concerning godlines he sets himself against He will be an Idolater an Heretike an Athist a man of no religion and all this commes of a reprobate mynde which is procured of Gods just judgement because that spirituall light was so contemned that he would not suffer it to be conjoyned with that naturall light Therefore when we see these lightmynded men and these that will be counted Lords and Peeres in the Land repyne to this glorious light of the Gospell take vp the judgement of God that lightes vpon them The Lord suffers them to passe the bounds of common honestie they are wrapped vp in a reprobat sense Count no more of them then of madde men whom the Lord in justice shall confound for euer No if they were here I would say they were mad men running headlong vnder the vengence of God to destruction The Lord giue them eyes to see this and harts to vnderstand that they may be reclaimed from this fearce wrath of the Lord. They want both naturall wit and supernaturall for he that will not suffer this light of the Gospell to be conjoyned with this natural light he hes no wit at all he is a madde bodie he will not care to doe whatsoeuer euill he may both to himselfe and others The Lord saue vs from this sort of men In the verse that followes first we haue the effect that ensues vpon this sinne of beleeuing of lies vpon the first sinne the contemning of the trueth followes the next sin of beleeuing errors and lies vpon this sin againe followes judgement and indignation that they may be condemned sayes he In the next part of the verse he repeats the two sinnes vpon the which damnation proceeds the first is insidelitie vvho beleeued not the trueth the second is beleeuing of lies and vntruth and all maner of vnrighteousnesse He joynes these two together not beleeuing the trueth and beleeuing lies and they go together necessarly for if thou beleeue not the trueth of necessity thou shalt beleue vntrueth If thy hart repose not on God and his trueth of necessity thy hart shall repose on the deuill and vntruth the hart cannot want some faith Thou must haue some faith and something to put thy confidence in â—shal make this plaine The hart of the creature cannot stand alone but especially the hart of the sinfull man cannot stand vp except it haue a leaning-stock or prop to vphold it The harts of all the kings of the earth cannot stand alone but they must repose on something MaÌ„shart must eyther stand on God or on Satan for this is the difference betweene God and the creature God will stand him alone he needes not a foundation or leaning stock as the creature needes for it must lean euer on something or else it is impossible to it to stand Now there are two thinges whereon man reposes either man reposes himself on God his truth or else on the deuil his falshood If thou leanst not on God on Iesus Christ and his Gospel of necessity thy confidence shal be on Satan the Antichrist vanities lies and falshood Wel then when thou hast leand thee ouer on Satan and lies thou wilt stand no longer nor does vanities and lies yea nor the deuill will stand and he will not stand ay albeit he haue strength for a time yet he and vanity and lies shal fal downe and thou shalt fal downe with them for if thou be found leaning on lies and on the Antichrist thou shalt perish with them The word he vses is to be marked He sayes not they that beleued lies but they that had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Euen as we see and finde by experience reposing on God and his trueth is with a joy of the soule So when a
be carefull to remember the blessings of God and as thou remembers say Lord I thanke thee for that blessing I tell thee the losing of remembrance of the grace of God showne to thee and others hes lost many graces to thee if thou remember not the graces bygone and be not thankfull for them the grace of God will grow narrow and become barren and turne away from thee Now to come to the end shortlie let vs touch the cause of this joy first here are thre graces of god that comes to the Thessalonians Causes of thanks giuing faith hope charity wherfore Paul thankes God in their behalfe to witte faith charitie and hope I see these thre graces recounted by the Apostle in other places in the 1. to the Cor. cha 13. 13. And novv sayes he abyds thre things faith hope and charitie but the cheefest of of those is charitie because when the rest go away it abides in the life to come in these thre stands the perfection of the life of a christian man in faith towards God and the Lord Iesus begin at them in this life begin at God Christ his Son be joyned to him by faith then come on to loue towards thy neighbour loue thy neighbour woe to thee that loues not thy neighbour thou loues not God if thou loue not thy neighbour And because our life is not here but it is hid vp with God in Christ thou must await for thy life in him and so comes in hope hope for thy life in him these thre must conuoy accompany thee heer till thou possesse that life So faith is the beginning of grace faith joynes thee with God throgh Christ with a sweet conjunction whereby all flowes out of him to thee for as we said in the beginning no blessing but in that conjunction with him Faith brings forth charitie the bud of faith is charitie and there is such a sure bond betwene faith and charitie that the one can not be without the other If thou say thou hast faith to God and haue not loue to the Church the rest of the members of the body thou art a lyar Now the end of all grace in this life is hope hope of saluation and glorie grace in this life ends in hope it begins at faith grows in loue and ends in hope that is the last degre it goes no farther for as to saluation thou can not get it heere the farthest thou can reach to is to hope reaching vp to heauen expecting that glorie that is appointed to thee there The Apostle recounting the armor of a christian man 1. Thes 5. 8. ends in hope he begins at faith theÌ„ to loue ends at hope speaking of the graces we haue in the Gospell as temperance righteousnes and godlines Tit. 2. 13. He subjoines Avvaiting for that hope and appearing of that glorie of that great God and of our Sauior Iesus Christ. Where ye see he puts on hope as it were a crowne on the rest of the graces hope I say is the last of all the graces in this earth and we can go no farther but in that life to come farewell hope for we shall get the full sight and fruition of all the graces that now we looke for my eyes shall se my Saâ—iour the Lord Iesus Christ So there the grace of graces in the other life sight for we liue heerby faith and not by sight but then we shall get that full sight of glorie for vve shall se him as he is 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Yet to stick to the words he sets out these vertues graces not simplie but he descriues some one vvay some another way and so he cals it not faith but effectuall faith or vvorking faith he sayes not loue simplie but a diligent and labouring loue and he cals it not hope simplie but the patience of your hope a patient hope Faith vvorking a vvorking faith a laborious loue Novv let vs consider the exercises of euerie one of them Faith hes her excerise in vvorking what vvorks she working out the filth of nature fy on the foull nature of men wemen so that the exercise of faith in Iesus is in cleansing the foull heart and euerie corner of it And therefore in the chap. 15. vers 9. of the Acts faith is said to purge the heart for by faith Iesus dwelles in the heart and Christ can not be idle hee will be exercised and he purges out the foull stinke of nature that lyes hid in euerie corner of the heart Hee that is not exercised in cleansing of his heart vtters euidentlie that he neuer had faith say vvhat he vvill This is the vvorke of faith Novv Charitie is laborious to come to Charitie Faith is exercised inwardlie in the hart Charitie is exercised outwardlie in the hand and can not be idle labouring not for her selfe but for me and thee and those that are about her and he who hes charitie or he should not doe good to his neighbour he will rather want his hand fy on them who will not worke with their hands to helpe others This land is full of idle men so it can not be without judgement thowsands going idle in all parts and how can charitie be keeped without labour if thou were a Lord put to thy hand and call to God for to sanctifie thy labour it is vanitie to sit idle put to thy hand and doe good to thy selfe or some others or else sore shall that count be that thou shall make Now come to hope What is sho doing She is bound vnder the Crosse lying in patience looking for that glorious reuelation of God Hope patient I tell thee either be exercised in suffering for the glorious appearance of Iesus christ or else thou shalt lose hope for as concerning hope she must be a sufferer for it is said It behoued vs throgh many tribulations to enter in the kingdome of God Act. 14. 22. So thy hope that awaits for the kingdome of God must be endewed with patience otherwayes if it be not joyned with patience to endure tribulation that the Lord shall lay on thee thou and thy hope shall both â—all And therfore when thou thinkest on hope joyne euer the companion thereof patiâ—nce to it 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. 25. with hope joynes patience Heb. 6. 15. Abraham avvaited patientlie and therafter enioyed the promise hope on indure all with the power of God thou shall enjoy all and preuail for hope neuer made man to be ashamed hope in God for saluation for he hath promised and is able to performe and hope makes not ashamed Rom. 5. 5. Then to take vp this matter I see all the graces of God are quick a dead grace is naught all are liuelie either exercised in one exercise or other Faith is working Charitie is laborious Hope is suffering each one hes their owne exercise and therefore let not an ydle bodie that is not exercised
with a crosse on the backe of it for thou shalt not brooke it without a crosse Therefore maruaile not at this affliction for it is a meruaile that the Gospell should haue remainde so long without affliction in Scotland and all this affliction in Scotland is nothing in respect of other parts where affliction is And therefore if we brooke this Gospell looke for greater afflictions then these for who hes striuen yet to the blood for the libertie of the Gospell Now in the last words with the affliction he joynes the holy Spirite Anâ—â—oy sayes he of the holie Spirite Ye receyued the Gospell with affliction and with affliction ye receyued joy of the holie Spirite Ioy of the holie Spirite ioined vvith affliction Looke how surelie affliction is the companion of the Gospell as surelie is the joy of the Spirite the companion of affliction and this is most sure that the affliction of the Gospell is most joyfull aboue all other things in the world A man that suffers as an euill doer a man that suffers for theft a murtherer that suffers for murther an adulterer for adulterie he hes no joye in suffering he is ashamed and hangs dovvne his head because the querrell for which he suffers bringes an euill conscience theft bringes an euill conscience murther bringes an euill conscience adulterie brings an euill conscience therfore he hes no joy in suffering It is true a man that is to be execute for his his euill deedes in his execution will rejoyce but marke the ground It is it not the euill cause that bringes that joy but it is the assurance of the remission of sinnes in Christ that bringes the joy the euill turne bringes euer an horror of conscience but vvhen one suffers for Christ and the Gospels sake there is joye and comfort and they that hes suffered for Christs sake in suffering haue greater joy in the spirite nor euer they had in the fulnesse of their pleasures in the world Peter in his first Epist 1. 8. sayes In the midst of their suffring they suffred joyfully when there is a good conscience when men suffer for Iesus sake there was neuer joye comparable to that joy it is such a joye as vvill swalow vp al paine terror Experience of this we haue in manie godlie Martyres not that affliction brings joy with it for it is naturall to the affliction to worke sorrow and griefe but it is the good conscience that makes joye and the good conscience comes of the good cause When the conscience sayes Thou art suffering for Christ that suffered for thee and be assured after suffering thou shalt be glorified ô the joye that that man shall finde The Lord giues euerie man joye that suffers any thinge lesse or more for Christ the furnisher of the joye is the Spirite who will not suffer anie persone to beare anie thing for Christ but he will giue comfort and joy therein Brethren ye heare it commonlie said It is the cause or the querrell and not the paine that makes the martyre the paine the torment were they neuer so greuous will not make a man a martyre the ground is the good cause quarrel that they suffer for the Gospel Christ But I say farther if there be no more nor the cause or the querrell that makes not martyrdome if when thou art suffering for Iesus sake thou hast no joy no patience no faith and tolerance no joye in the holie Spirite and reioyse more in suffering and bonds nor he that goes free it is no martyrdome Ioyne me joye and the good cause vvith patience in torment all three together these make a Martyre Peter sets downe the rules of suffring saying Let no man suffer as a murtherer as a theefe as an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters Then he subjoynes If anie man suffer as a christian for a good cause let him not be ashamed therein but let him glorifie God 1. Epist 4. 15. 16. As in the I. Cha V. 8. he sayes They haue in suffering for a good cause a ioy â—â—speakable and glorious So here he forbids them to be ashamed in suffering but to reioyce and glorifie God who hes called them to that honour for this is the highest honour of all to suffer for Christ as the Apostles did Marke all these grounds These examples and rules commending suffering are not set downe in vaine and let none thinke to be a christian and to be exeemed from suffering Away with them who will say they will preach and receiue the word gladlie in calmnes but they will haue nothing to do with suffering but I say if thou prepare thee not for suffering after so long a calmnesse of the Gospell the end shall prooue that thou shalt curse the time that euer thou heard the Gospell Therfore in purpose let vs prepare our selues to suffer that nothing come to vs vnawares and let vs say when we rise here I am readie if it please thee ô Lord to lay any thing on me for the Gospell ere euening Lord giue me grace not to be ashamed but to suffer in joy my life is not heere but my life must be laid down And wel is him can be this way prepared and lookes for greater affliction for no doubt after so great calmnesse affliction must follow and all our suffering is but childrens play yet The Lord prepare vs for it and make vs readie when he pleases to visite vs. To this God be all praise for euer Amen THE THRIDE LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 1. vers 7. 8. 9. 7 So that ye vvere as ensamples to all that beleeue in Macedonia and Achaia 8 For from you sounded out the vvorde of the Lord not in Macedonia and in Achaia onelie but your faith also vvhich is tovvarde God spread abroad in all quarters that vve neede not to speake any thing 9 For they themselues shevv of vs vvhat maner of entring in vve had vnto you and hovv ye turned to God from idols IN this part of this Epistle which presentlie we haue in hand ye haue heard brethren the Apostle rejoyses together with the Thessalonians for those graces of God which he vnderstood and knew to be in them geuing God thanks therefore rendering him the whole glorie thereof The graces wer as ye heard namely first their effectuall faith secondlie their laborious loue and charity thirdly their patient hope Then he comes to the ground of all these graces their election which was from all eternitie vttering an assurance of their election and of the chusing of them before the world was made The grounds of his assurance of their eternal election wer two the first in himself the second in the Thessalonians the ground in himselfe was that grace of God that libertie that power which he had in preaching Christ when he came among them which assured him the Lord had his chosen amongst theÌ„ The ground
or slay thee and in the day of damnation thou shalt cursse the time that thou euer didst heare the word of Christ if thou finde it not powerfull in thee Come in a minde to renew thy sinfull life or else bide away come to be humbled vnder this word and reuerence it if that thou were a King or else bide away vnlesse thou vvouldst heap on thy selfe an intolerable damnation Now brethren I shall end shortlie in the next verse He thinkes it not eneugh to set downe this in generall what the vvord of God wroght in them that beleeued but he comes to the particulare It will not be the generall word will do thee good but a particulare The speciall effect is It made them to be follovvers It is good to followe them that goe the right way they vvere followers of the Church that was in Iudea followers of the Ievves that were conuerted and beleeued in Christ The word conformed the Thessalonians to the christian Church of the Iewes Al this was by the povver of the vvord of God in the mouthes of men Looke not for an Angell from heauen to speake to thee nor for a sound from heauen but looke for it out of the mouth of men We wearie fast of this ministrie what ministrie vvill vve haue next will ye haue Papistâ—â—e againe will ye haue Angels No if ye contemne this ministrie if this ministrie be put out of the land thou shalt neuer finde anie ministrie powerfull to saluation Then I marke this is the power of the word of God a conformitie like affection in sundry persons to make me like thee the vvord povverful to make coÌ„formity and thee like me the godlie like other this is the power of Gods word to cause a church follow one an other to joine man with man to draw in a bloodie wolfe to the sheep-fold of the Lord Iesus and to make him a sillie lambe He that now was raging to draw him to Christ to cause him sit down and joine himself to Gods people in holinesse and godlines This is a maruelous effect that the word hes It is not the proper effect of the word to cut men from good men but to make a conformitie to joine good meÌ„ with good meÌ„ draw al together to the church The Lord the great Pastor he joynes all the members of the bodie together and all to make a whole body to the head christ In a word it is the force of Gods word to worke our felicitie blessednesse and I assure thee thou who art a contemner of the word of Iesus thou shalt neuer be happie neither in this life nor in the life come All stands first in a conjunction with Christ the head and then with the members Step out of the societie of the church as you wil what is the church to thee I denounce the terrible judgement of God against thee if thou seek not to haue that conjunction societie of the church of God thou shalt neuer get a portion in Iesus there is thy doome if thou repent not This conformitie is not al wroght at once but the word of God by the power thereof will bring one first in then an other man then the thrid man then one Church secondly an other church thridlie the thrid church and so draw them al together So that they who comes last haue no disaduantage they both haue that same word to draw them in that the first had and then also they haue examples before them drawing them in It is good to haue an aduantage beside the word to draw thee in Brethren we that are now in the world we haue this last vauntage we haue these patternes looke how many haue bene called they are as many vauntages and patternes to draw vs to God And looke that thou heare not of a godlie man but preasse to follovv him and say God make me lyke him for among the rest of the meanes God hes ordained to winne soules the setting vp of patternes before men is one meane This nature of ours is backward For vve are all borne naturallie Woolfes and Tigers so that it makes vs that vve break avvay so fast from the sheepe-â—old of Christ that we haue great neede of many meanes to draw vs in And therefore the Lorde some-tymes vses by the word and some-tymes by the examples of others to draw vs in to Christ Iesus Yet againe this conformitie that is set down wold be marked The conformity is in suffering ye are followers of the church in Iudea in what in suffering alike with them the same persecution they suffered ye suffer yea more he amplifies their sufferinges in that they did suffer of such like persecutores as the Church of Iudea did euen of their own countrie-men the Iewes it was that persecuted the Iewes who were conuerted it is the Thessalonians that persecutes you that are in Thessalonica This is the persecution Conformitie in suffring Then learne The conformitie that ought to be among men and vvemen in the world stands not in doing onelie to make others doe vvell as he doeth well As one Church liues holilie so to cause one an other liue holily but it must be a conformitie in suffering also that as one man suffred so an other shoulde suffer as one Church suffered so an other Church should suffer it wil not only be actiue in doing but passiue in suffering There is a faire effect conformitie in suffering Brethren men oft tymes are readie eneugh to follow others in doing but they are loath to suffer all godlie men would be like other godlie men in doing I see not a godlie person but I would be lyke him and one Church would be like an other godlie Church in doing But if I see a godlie man suffer before me I wil hold aback and shrink to follow him If thou see one martyred before thee thou wilt leaue him and not take part of his burden There is not a flourishing Church in Europe but this would be like it but it hes no desire to be like that Church in France that hes bene so long vnder affliction and can not get vp the head of it It is in deed an hard matter to the word of God to worke doing good in the heart of man but a harder matter to worke patience and suffering of affliction but if the word be not effectual as well to work suffering as doing I can not say it hes that force and power in vs that it should haue And therefore albeit thou be not as yet at suffering yet prepare thee for suffring resolue not thy self for doing alone euery day but for suffring also whatsoeuer crosse the Lord will lay on thy back And let this be part of thy prayer Lord strengthen me in suffering For as thou wouldst raigne with him so thou must take a resolution to suffer with him Who will not suffer let him neuer looke to be an heyre of Heauen It is now
due time to learne to be prepared for suffering for Christs cause The Lord giue vs grace that we may suffer patientlie that he may be glorified in our suffering To this God be glorie and praise for euer AMEN THE EIGHT LECTVRE VPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS 1. THESSA CHAP. 2. vers 15. 16. 15 Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their ovvne Prophets and haue persecuted vs and God they please not and are contrary to all meÌ„ 16 And forbid vs to preach vnto the Gentiles that they might be saued to fulfil their sinnes alvvaies for the vvrath of God is come on them to the vtmost IN this rejoysing of the Apostle Paull together with the Thessalonians for the graces of God that were bestowed vpon them ye haue heard brethren the Apost thanked God instantlie for that meeting he founde in them when he preached to to them exhorted comforted besought them to walke as worthie of that God that had called them to his kingdome and glorie Their meeting was they heard him and not onelie they heard him but they receiued the thing they heard and not onelie receiued it but in heart embraced it and laide it vp as a treasure and the seede of life and immortalitie they imbraced it not as the word of man but as the word of God as it is indeede and not onelie imbraced they it as the word of God but in life and conuersation vttered it it was effectual in their life He proued this because they were followers of the Church in Iudea conuerted to Iesus Christ The speciall thing wherein they followed them was that euen as these Churches were troubled by their owne Countrie the Iewes euen so they that were conuerted at Thessalonica were troubled not by forrainers but by their oâ—ne Citizens Not to repeat any thing we spak the last day but to go to the text red In this text the Apostle hauing spoken of these Iewes malicious and obstinate doing wherby they euer impeaded the progresse of the Gospell of Christ and hindered mans saluation scattring themselues among the Gentiles throgh al the â—â—â—mane Prouinces and when anie of the Apostles came stirring vp insurrection and not suffring the Gospell to haue place so farre as they might stop it Therefore he digresses heere and aggâ—eages the sinne of these malicious Iewes making vp a dittay against them and therafter he giues out the doome and pronounces the sentence of wraith and condemnation against them And therefore to returne and to oppen vp euerie sentence They haue slaine sayes he the Lord Iesus There is the first point of their dittay These men the Iewes that trouble the Church of Christ in Iudea are they that haue slaine the Lord Iesus himself They haue in their extreame persecution slaine and crucified to the death the Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 8. That is they haue dispatched him not after a common manner but after a most cruell and shamefull manner by a cruell sore and shamefull death Whom haue they slaine the Lord of glorie and honourable personage all the glorie of God is dwels in him as it wer Who is this by name It is Iesus the Sauior of the world euerie word aggreages their fault There is the first point of their dittay The first crime laid to their charge is the crucifying of the Lord Iesus Christ this is the thing he begins at there are mo pointes of dittay laid against them but he beginnes at this the persecution of the Lord himself Persecution beginnes not at the bodie nor at the members of the bodie Persecution begins at the head of the Church nor at the seruants but it beginnes at the head the Lord Iesus him selfe if not in action in deede yet in intention in the malice and hatred of the heart The Prophetes in deede were slaine and persecuted in action and died before the Lorde Iesus came in the world but these same men that slew the Prophets with their hand ere they slew the Prophets they slew the Lord of the Prophets the Lord Iesus in their hearts because that all the Prophets that were slaine were his seruants sent before him that was to come Now to come forward The second thing is They slevv the Lord Iesus they slew the Lord of glorie that in his slaughter so farre as in them lyes the worlde should be slaine for they that vvoulde slay Iesus vvould slay all men so farre as lyes in them and they slay him after a most cruell and shamefull manner The greater grace the greater the persecution Brethren this is the ingyne and nature of persecutors the worthier the personage be who is persecuted the greater grace of God be in him the greater glorie and innocencie be in him the greater will be the extremitie of their persecution None of the Prophets of olde were so extremelie persecuted as the Lord Iesus was neither yet the Apostles that followed him were so persecuted as he was and all because of the greatnesse of the glorie of his personage If ye will search the grounde of this it must no question come of great blindnes for if men savv vvell the grace and the glorie of God that is in the persones of them that are persecuted for all the vvorlde they durst not persecute them And therefore he sayes in the 1. Corinth 2. chap. 8. verse If they had knovvne they had not crucified the Lord of glorie No if the glorie of the Church were seene vvicked men durst not stirre her There is yet a greater and an higher ground The malice of the heart comes in and blindes and putteth out the eye of the minde Eph. 4. 18. Throgh ignorance sayes Paul that comes through the hardnes of the heart for this is the nature of the hardnes of the heart to hate the light and to delite in darknes which is enemie to the light of God All our pleasure is in darknes by nature and so it is caried against the light and the first thing it does it puts out the light of the minde yea euen the very natural light and so when the heart is blinded it caries him against all light and chieflie against the light of God and the Lorde of light him selfe And this is the vvorke of this faâ—e nature of man so highlie accounted of by the Philosophers Seeke therefore to shutte out of thy heart this maliciousnes that blindes it or else thou shalt be blind folde throvvne down to hell The thride thing to be marked heere is When he is laying out this persecution before the Thessalonians he is comforting theÌ„ that wer afflicted Haue they not slain your Lord c. what vvounder is it hovvbeit they persecute you Brethren all the affliction is not layde vpon one man hovvbeit he get his burdene heauie enough Comfort through Christes persecutioÌ„ The Lord hes measured to euerie one his owne part and he vvho is afflicted should looke ouer his shulder and see who
so stagring as thou art except thou leane on Christ This is most true It is not so much our apprehension we haue of Christ as his apprehension of vs that holds vs vp A chylde that is learning to goe albeit he grippe he cannot holde himselfe vp but it is the grip of the Nourse that holdes vppe the chylde It is so betweene God and vs We are all infantes Iesus hes vs in his hand we make a glifring to grip him againe but when he lettes vs goe then we fall So this is our comfort that vve are gripped by God and his grip vpholdes vs for vvhen he grippes to the heart of any man his hand neuer lowses againe and thou shalt neuer goe out of his grippe yea euen in that time when thou thinkest thou art gone and the Lord hes casten thee offyn the meane-time he hes thee in his grip and in that meane-tyme vvhen thou appearest to be left call to remembrance that he hes gripped thee and then assure thee yet he grips thee And say Who shall be able to separate me from the loue of Christ Rom. 8. 35. And Iesus sayes None is able to reaue my sheepe out of my hand Iohn 10. 28. Who shall be able to lowse his hand This is all in one vvorde Seeke this apprehension and stand fast in Christ and death shall not seuer thee from him but lyfe shall follow death glorie shall follow ignominie immortalitie shall svvalovv vp the mortalitie that vve are heere subject to Well then brethren who wait when we shall be striken Therefore let vs euer be prepared and let vs not looke to the Pest Nothing shall be able to seuere vs from God if he haue gripped vs ` Paul sayes Philipp 3. 8. 9. that he counted all thinges but dongue that he might be found of him and knowe him and the force of his resurrection Yet to insist in the words expressing this resurrection he saies that God shall bring vs vvith him that is with Christ So our resurrection what is it VVhat is our resurrection but a bringing of vs to God to be joyned with him in that blessed societie Our felicitie and blessednesse both in body and soule is to be joined with God For vnderstand so long as thy bodie lyes in the graue lyes in ignominie in a maner it is seuered from God it is apart from God in some maner it is not so near him as it wil be it is yet lying in ignominy Now in the resurrection of the dead that body that was separated frō God and lay in ignominie for a tyme ryses to be joyned with God to the end it may be glorified for euer This is the resurrection of the bodies of the godlie But it is farre otherwaies with the resurrection of the vngodly They rise indeed and must rise for they shall be pulled out of the graue for faine would they ly still they must ryse to receiue that paine of damnation they shall ryse but neuer to be brought to God The Scripture indeed speakes that they shall rise but neuer to be broght to God but they rise to be seuered from God more nor they were They are seuered when they are in the graue but when the body shall be joyned to the soule then they shall be farther seuered And looke how far is betweene the hie Heauens and the low Helles as far distance shall there be betweene God and the reprobate They shall not be conuoyed vp to meete Christ in the cloudes as the bodies of the godly are No but they shall stand on the earth Yet to insist Are the bodies of the elect broght them alone to God No what euer bodie must be brought to God in the resurrection it must be broght in companie it must be in a societie and conjunction ere that bodie be conjoined with God He saies vvith Christ. That bodie must be brought to that glorious societie with God but first it must be joyned with Iesus otherwaies thou shalt neuer rise to God Then would ye haue the order Paul speaks of in this resurrection for euerie one shall rise in order The first is Christ Christ the first of them that rises his glorious body rose first Then after that they who are in Christ that is they who stands in that conjunction with him as imps in the tree vvho are ingraft in his bodie then they shall ryse with him Therefore in one word Wouldst thou knowe whether thou shalt be joined with God or not looke if thou standst fast in that conjunction and vnion with Christ in this lyfe and if thou finde thy selfe vnited with Christ in this lyfe then in the glorious resurrection with God shalt thou be And so this is a thing that I euer aduertise you of Looke euer that thou be a member of that glorious bodie Be either an eye or foote or hand be some part of the bodie of Christ And certainly being joined with him when he is joyned with God euen God the Father of necessitie thou being a member of the bodie thou must be joined with God For thy conjunction with God is not immediat but thou must first bee joyned with Christ and being conjoyned with Christ thou shalt be joyned with God also in glory Now vvho shall be the doer of this It is a great vvorke to draw vp this bodie out of the graue to Heauen and set it in that glorie Will the bodie rise the alone where got it that strength will any Angell draw it vp No all the Angels in Heauen is not able to raise vp a bodie to Heauen all the power in earth cannot raise vp a dead bodie Then who must doe it No power in Heauen nor earth but the power of God Paul Ephes chap. 1. verse 19. calles it the effectualnesse of the strong povver of God There is no vvorke in this vvorld vvherein the povver of God appeares more nor in the vvorke of the rising first of Christ vvhen he vvas dead and then of our bodies that are in him The power and strength of God as greatlie appeares in the raising of the bodie as it did in making of the world when before it vvas not It is as great a matter to make a thing to liue as to make it There is as great power to make the dead to liue as to make any thing of nothing And this povver is onely proper to God The power of the world may put out the life but no power can giue lyfe but onely Gods There are many slayers but none to giue lyfe but onely God Therefore let vs glorifie the God of lyfe Then marke two causes of our glorious resurrection 2. causes of our resurrectiō He speakes not of the resurrection of the reprobate The first cause is the conjunction with Iesus begunne in this lyfe The second cause is the power and might of God in raising of them being found in Iesus Take any of these two away thou shalt neuer be brought
of man is in rejoycing in God So that he who hes not that spirituall joy hes no blessednesse if they had al the world Then we see prayer bringes joy asking bringes joy so also vve see thanking bringes joy thanking of God rises on joy thanking of God ends in joy thanking of God standes in the midst Prayer will begin with sorrow and it ends in joy vpon this joy commes thanking vpon thanking commes joy againe So all endes in joy Would ye haue this out of the Scripture in that 4. Philipp verse 7. drawes not Paul that peace of God that passes all vnderstanding our of prayer and thanksgiuing In all things let your requests be shovvâ—n to God vvith prayer and supplication vvith thankesgiuing Then he subjoines when ye haue prayed and thanked that peace sayes he that passes all vnderstanding shall guard your mindes in Christ. Then peace rises on these two groundes prayer and thanksgiuing to God So thanking brings joy asvvell as prayer To go forward in the words Thank him sayes he in all things As he would say in all thinges that are incident and falles out in the world thanke him As all is matter of joy Prosperity and aduersitie vvell vvoe life death so let all be matter of thanking what euer he sends thanke him Is it a great matter to thanke him in prosperitie when thinges goes well with thee But I say thou hast not the grace of thanksgiuing except thou can thanke him asvvell in aduersitie as prosperity asvvell in death as in life Then I see these three thinges joy prayer and thanking they haue a common propertie which is continuance without intermission in all maner of thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death rejoyce euermore in prosperitie in aduersitie in well in woe in life in death pray euer And last in prosperitie in aduersitie in vvell in vvoe in life in death in all thinges thanke him Will ye go through them As for joy thy estate can not be so euill in the world if thou be in Christ but thou hast matter of ioy Then againe vvere thy estate in this vvorld neuer so good yet thou hast neede to pray for so long as thou remainst here thou getst not all graces And last if thy estate vvere neuer so miserable yet if thou haue a grip of Christ thou hast matter to thanke God Then if this be true hes not the Apostle said well Reioyce euermore Then pray continually then in all thinges giue thankes to God Let not therefore these thinges be vvords onely but practise them in lyfe There is none of vs but vve haue matter to practise our ioy Who are in such a misery but they haue some matter of ioy yea there are none of vs but we haue cause to vse all these preceptes Rejoice euermore pray continually and in all things giue thankes Now to come to the reason in the next wordes For this is the vvill of God In all thinges in prosperitie in aduersitie thanke him Wherefore Because it is Gods will that ye should thanke him aswell in aduersitie as in prosperitie in death aswell as in life it is his will rest on his will Yet brethren to speake one vvord of this vvill I haue spoken of it sundrie tymes before I say and the Scripture sayes The onely light of this vvorld is Gods vvill Gods vvil the onely thinge to be knovvn the only rule of our actions And I say the onely knowledge and wisdome that a man can haue in this vvorld is to knovve vvhat is Gods vvill Fy on all the knowledge and vvisdome of men in this world if they knowe not this He will start vp and he will be called a vvise man All the Philosophers vvould be counted vvise men but vvhich of all the Philosophers did knovve vvhat vvas Gods vvill And these tvvo partes of his vvill is speciallie â—oulds vs in the Scripturel First vvhat vve should doe that vve may serue him And then vvhat he vvill doe with vs. A vaine Philosopher hee knovves much of nature but knovves he the vvill of God Knovves he it not Then he is a plaine foole Knovves he these thinges Then he is a vvyse man Paul to the Ephesians chap. 5. verse 17. Be not fooles but vnderstand vvhat is the vvill of God Then wherein standes wisdome To knowe what is the will of God Who is the foole He that knowes not what is the will of God Who knowes Gods will is wise and the end shall proue it Then as the onely true knowledge and wisdome in this world is to know Gods will so the onely 〈◊〉 and square of our life in the world is the rule of Godds will There are two thinges we haue to seeke knowledge and action Would thou haue knowledge Know Gods will Would thou haue action and do any thing that would merite any commendation Do according to Gods will The rule of all actions that is truely commendable in Gods sight is his will for that man who hes the commendation of God is onely the man that should be commended do any thing because God hes willed thee to do it go not to thy own will for thou do thy wil maners not being agreable with Gods wil shall lead thee to Hel. Then do nothing but according to Gods will First know what is Gods wil and then do nothing for al the world but that which is agreable thereto If thou doest thy own will or the will of any man looke that it be conformable to Gods will and so do it otherwaies not and then do it because it is the will of God and not because it is the will of man Then see ye not how graue an argument the Apostle sets downe knowing it is Gods will that we should thank him ay should we not repose on his will It is Gods vvill vvhich is the onely light and rule of all actiones Whosoeuer knowes his will they haue a faire light in all their actiones A man will neuer wander wrong who hes such a light before his eyes If thou see that it be Gods vvill that thou goe through wildernesse through darknesse yea through Hel obey his will and take journey and I promise thee thou shalt finde the fairest outgait that euer was Count not of the way if thou haue the light of the will of God before It is not possible that Hell shall preuaile against that bodie that settes the selfe to pleasure God Well is him that sets himselfe to pleasure him who is Lord ouer all and who onely is able to pleasure vs all The world shall not pleasure thee if God pleasure the not What matter to displease all the world if we set our selues to please him Marke further he sayes It is the vvill of God tovvardes you This is a speciall will that concornes all Christians not a generall will concerning the world but a speciall will concerning you that are Christians vvho hes giuen your names
neuer come to grace and saluation except thou humble thy selfe vnder this preaching which thou by nature and in thy judgement thinkes foolishe If thou beleue not in this take thee this doome neuer shalt thou be justified in that great day Now to come to the last words in the verse In that day There is an Emphasis in this word that day the Lord shall be glorified in the godly in the glory of his owne in that day It is true brethren at this time in this same moment the Lord Iesus is glorified and the Saints and faithful hes their own glory But the glory of Iesus and his Saintes is not in that fulnesse which shall be at that day Thou seest him now as it were in a mirrour darklie he is comming behind thee and thou art looking in a glas but at that day thou shalt see him face to face with these bodily eyes thou seest him now in glorie but in that day thou shalt see him in a surpassing and exceeding great glorie It is euen so with the Saints We are the Sonnes of God now we are glorious now but in that day we shall haue another kinde of glorie The Apostle Iohn 1. Epistle 13 chap. 2. verse sayes Dearly beloued vve are the Sonnes of God novv but it appeares not vvhat vve shall be The very sight of him shall transforme vs. So that day in the 2. chap. to the Rom. 1. verse is called the day of manifestation all things shall be manifested Glorie righteousnes Heauen Hel and all hid now But in that day all shall be brought forth to that light and be manifested The Heauen shall be opened to see that glorie in it the Hell to see that darknesse and shame in it The Sun shall shine then most clearly right shall then appeare right in the own garment of righteousnesse wrong shall be seene to be wrong sinne shall appeare in the own cullour euerie one shall see it perfitely all things shall be maid manifest Now in the next verse to the end of the chapter the Apostle to conquise to himselfe the beneuolence and good lyking of the Thessalonians why should not the teacher haue the good wil of his people whom he teaches lets them see all that he does is for their cause Wherefore sayes he vve also pray alvvaies for you that our God may make you vvorthy of this calling c. Well this sets out this part of the Minister as he teaches life to the people So let his prayer be euer to God to helpe them forward to that lyfe and glorie he speakes of This for his part Then ye see againe Prayer a meane to lyfe among all the meanes of bringing men to lyfe Prayer is one Thy ovvne prayer the prayer of the Pastour for thee I call it the meane not the cause for thy ovvne prayer vvill neuer merite Heauen albeit thou pray continuallie and be of that opinion that thy prayer vvill merite Heauen vaine art thou thou shalt neuer get it Yet the Lord hes appointed prayer as a meane to further men and wemen to Heauen If thou neglect thy duetie thou shalt neuer come to Heauen The Lord raise vs out of this beastlines and senslesnes that makes vs so vnwilling to pray Men will rise in the morning and go to bed at night without one motion of praier but if thou continue so thou shalt neuer come to Heauen for mark the Lords doing As the Lord hes ordained thee for life so he hes ordained thee a mid-way wherby he bids thee go forward to liâ—e If thou take not the straight way the Lord hes giuen thee but takâ—â— by rode of thy own thou shalt neuer come to Heauen What should keep Christ with vs but only this praier what should sanctifie al the speaches of our mouth actions of our hands but this continuall praying The remembring of this life should stir vs vp to prayer for it is and shall be found the way to that life But to come to the matter of his praier He saies for this cause we pray for you That God vvould make you vvorthy of his calling By this calling he meanes life euerlasting by the meane he vnderstandes the end for he takes not the word calling properly but he takes it for the end of our calling which is life euerlasting Then ye see he craues this life and glory at the handes of God Then Life euerlasting the gift of God learn This life euerlasting is the onely gift of God thou hast it not by nature in thy owne selfe it must be giuen thee as a free gift of God or thou shalt neuer get it Further I see one or two meanes whereby we must come to this life set down heere Before thou come to that lyfe thou must haue a calling to it albeit thou would reaue a kingdome here by tirannie yet thou shalt not come to this kingdome except thou haue a former calling to it And when hast thou this calling When this same word of the Gospell soundes in thy eare 〈…〉 and thou beleuest in it If thou lay not to thy eare here thou shalt neuer be called and lackest thou that calling by the word thou shalt neuer get life euerlasting Then the other thing I see here that goes before life and glorie is a vvorthinesse a dignitie ere thou enter in that kingdome thou must haue a worthinesse Who will choose a man to an earthly kingdome without dignitie and worthines Therefore he sayes that he vvould make you vvorthie O but vnderstand it is not my worthinesse nor thy worthinesse inherent in me or thee No it is that worthinesse of Christ Iesus that must be imputed to vs. Christs worthinesse must be imputed to vs and we clad with it When ye heare this word worthines in the Scripture take it neuer to be an inherent worthinesse in thee or in me but the worthinesse of that onely worthie one Christ the Lord made ours by faith Then to the words following He pointes out more clearelie this lyfe euerlasting and sayes That he vvould fulfill all his good pleasure Which good pleasure Which commes of his gentlenes and goodnesse Then he addes And that he would fulfill What a vvorke Whereof of faith After what maner vvith povver and might Then there must be a power or else faith will not be fulfilled Now to returne to euery word That he vvould fulfill Marke then Lyfe euerlasting glorie euerlasting is the accomplishment of a thing begun of the decree going before of lyfe euerlasting First there must be an entrie to it there must be a beâ—ginning going before and then life euerlasting commes on as fulfilling of the thing going before What is the thing that goes before It is his good pleasure By his good pleasure is vnderstood the decree of lyfe that was giuen out from all eternitie concerning his owne So lyfe euerlasting is but the accomplishment of a decree that was made in that glorious kingdome of Heauen before
Cor. chap. 14. verse 25. it is said of the Prophets that God is in them Indeed he prophecyes not onely in the mouth but he enters in the hart and thereby he prophecyes aswell as by the mouth Paul sayes 2. Cor. 4. 13. We beleeue and therefore vve speak If the Prophet speake not with the tongue because he beleeues in the hart all his preaching is deare of a pennie See Coll. 1. 29. So Satan will be like God in this pointe he will enter in his minister namely the great Antichrist he will possesse his hart and all the inwarde affections of his soule and by them he will be powerfull in them that are ordeined for damnation before the world was made Now to goe forward in the text following The Apostle setdowne two meanes by the which the Antichrist when he shall come shall be effectuall in them who perishes Marke the two meanes and experience this day teaches the trueth of them The first meane he calles it all maner of povver then he expones himselfe what he meanes by this power by signes and lying vvonders wonderfull working that commes of a power Another meane in the verse following And in all deceiuablenesse of vnrighteousnesse that is doctrine that is first false secondly fraudulent hauing onely a cullour of the trueth So to take it vp shortly The two meanes the Antichrist shall haue is first working wonderfully next speaking vttering false doctrine first worke and wonders and then word Worke and word are the two means whereby the Antichrist deceiues you by his worke he deceiues the world by his word he propoâ—s false doctrine Now to speak of the first meane His first meane are wonders and miracles The Antichrist shall be effectuall by working wonders in them who are ordeined to perdition when he shall be reueiled in the world Brethren as the minister of Christ is effectuall by working of signes and wonders as the Apostles were and before them the Prophets in their owne tyme So the Antichrist the minister of Satan he will prease to be like them and he will be effectuall â—n these who perishes by working of wonders and miracles But what wonders are these that the Antichrist workes by The Apostle calles them lying signes and wonders lying first in respect of their end wherefore they are wrought to confirme false doctrine and lyes to men to establish falshood and againe lying because the wonders that are wrought are no true things in substance they are but ilusions and meere juglerie to deceiue the people Ye see the deuill would faine be like God and in the meane-tyme he is a plaine counterfairer and to call it so the ape of God counterfaiting God So the minister of Satan the Antichrist a plaine counterfaiter of Christs-Minister an ape set vp as he hes seene the Ministers of Christ worke so he will stand vp and counterfaite all are but apes all their miracles and working but apes playing Now brethren I thinke ye would aske this question whether if Satan and the Antichrist hes power to worke true miracles and wonders or not I answere shortlie In trueth I say Satan is not able to worke one true wonder he hes not power to worke one miracle DefinitioÌ„ of a true miracle that is true in substance and I prone it both by reasons â—n Scripture but shortlie By reasons a true wonder or miracle is a worke that is wrought aboue nature against nature contrare to the course of nature contrare to all second causes of the which when it is done none in the world is able to giue a natural reason wherfore it is so There is the definition of a true miracle I could let you see out of the Scripture many examples of these the rauishing of Enoch and Elias to the Heauen Who can giue a naturall cause for the lifting vp of two heauy bodies to the Heauen The preseruation of Noe with so many with him in the Arke a worke against nature The confusion of languages at the building of Babell a wonder Saraes conceiuing of a Son when she had past the date of conceiuing and bearing children The passing of Israell safe though the red sea and through the floode of lordane The standing of the Sun in the heauen wheâ— Ioshua fought The going back of the Son when Ezechias wasick The Eclypse of the Sunne when Christ was crucified The sauing of Daniell in the Lyons den The sauing of the three children in the fire The sauing of Ionas in the Whales belly The burning vp of Elias sacrifices with a fire from Heauen against nature Come to the new Testament the raising vp of so many dead bodies and the greatest wonder of al the incarnation of the Son of God his suffering his resurrection the greatest wonder that euer was wrought Satan caÌ„not vvork true miracles Who can giue a naturall cause of these things Now come to the assumption Satan cannot change nature it passes his power to impeed the course of nature to do any thing against the second causes it must be of as great power to change nature as to create nature the power that alters nature is as great as the power that creats nature Satan by al mens confession hes noâ— the power to create onely the Lord hes power to create It passes the deuils power to create the smallest creature on the earth and therefore it passes his power to change nature and to do any thing against nature and the second causes And therefore Rom cha 4. vers 17. these two the changing of nature and the creation are only ascryued to God as proper to him To God saies he vvho quickens the dead that is an alteration of nature and calles these thiâ—gs that are not as if they vvere that is creating by the word of his mouth at the naming of it the thing that was not standes vp and is And so we must conclude Satan hes no power to worke one true miracle This for the reason Come to the Scripture Read ye not 72. Psalme vers 18. Blessed be the Lord God euen the God of Israell vvho does onely vvondrous things And in the 77. Psalme vers 13. 14. Who is so great a God as our God thou are the God that 〈◊〉 vvonders as he would say there is none can worke wonders but God So this question is easily solued But there is another question Will not God vvorke â—vvonders by the ministrie of the Deuill and the Antichrist shovves not God his povver in vvorking vvonders by them as he did by the Prophets and Apostles his ovvne seruants Brethren I shall shovve you my opinion vvithout the prejudice of any mans judgement I thinke not for all the wonders that the deuill will worke are to this end to establishe lyes against God and his glory Novv I say the Lord vvill not lend his povver to Satan to work one true wonder to deface his owne glory and to establish false doctrine and I think I haue a