shall know one another at the resurrection 630. VVhy the resurrection is delayed 631. The dead bodies of the Saints pledges of our resurrection 632. Our resurrection shall bee onely by the power of Christ 635. Our bodies at the resurrection shall bee as glorious as Adams in innocencie 639. †There must bee no returne to sinne 137. ¶ The hope of reward must carry us through afflictions 451. Rich men have as much neede of God as poore 128. ¶ In what estate our bodies shall rise 637. As Christ is risen so wee must rise to newnesse of life 302. Wee shall all rise with the same bodies 627. Objections against it answered 628. In what estate the wicked shall rise 644. The difference of the rising of the godly and the wicked 300. VVhether monsters shall rise monsters 645. In what sexe all shall rise 646. Whether children and old men shall rise so or not 646 647. Christ rose the third day First no sooner 1. To evidence the truth of his death to the Iewes 2. To evidence the power of his death to the Disciples 3. To teach Christians patience 294. Secondly no later 1. Lest the Iewes should not thinke him Christ 2. Lest the Disciples faith should stagger 3. To apply his resurrection 4. Because God had so appointed 295. Christ rose in power 296. †VVhen Christ rose hee left the grave-clothes behinde him why 298. Multitudes of rose with Christ to Shew the benefit of his resurrection appertaines to many not a few Be witnesses thereof 301. What was done by VVhat became of thâ—se that rose with Christ 303. Roome for swaggerers c. in the Iune but none for Christ 119. ¶ Christ the roote of David how 543. * S CHrist instituted the Christian Sabbath 305. †Spirituall Sacrifices due to the Saints on Earth are Exhortation Admonition Consolation Mutuall praier 588 c. A Kingdome assigned to the Saints 447. The Saints are now in glory 529. †No salvation without the Church 565. All men naturally out of the estate of salvation 73. †But one meanes of salvation 47. ¶ Christ a Saviour 72. No Saviour but he 75. Differences betweene Christ and other Saviours 76. * Noah left all to save his Soule 38. Christ saves His owne people only By suffering From sinnes 73. Nobilitas objecti Debilitas subjecti The reasons why wee beleeve not the Scriptures 325. ¶ The Scripture the jewell and treasure of the Church 550. Reasons proving the puritie and perservation of the letter of the Scripture 551. Of the true translation of the Scripture 553. How to reconcile the different translations in the Scripture 553. ¶ Canonicall Scripture what it is 555. Reasons why the Apocrypha was not received for canonicall Scripture 557. The Scripture is a rule left us to walke and examine all things by 559. †The Church gives no authority to the Scripture seeing GOD is the Author of it 560. ¶ All that Christ did was to fulfill the Scripture 247. * In the Scripture the Puritie Majestie Predictions Power Sinceritie Consent of writers and Naturall reason prove them to have God their Author 561. c. Consent of writer in the Matter Manner if the Scriptures 663 The Scripture is to be Relied on Iudge in questions Not all neglected Directer of â—ur lives because the Word of God 564. The unsearchable goodnesse of the Holy Ghost expressed by the similitude of a mans looking on 〈◊〉 Sea 507. ¶ Ill successe Bad example Tâ—o discouragements in the wisemens search for Christ 134. To see Christ in the Gospell a blessing worthy to provoke uâ—to praise GOD for 142. The Word of God â—e seed breeds Christ in our hearts 106. * Strangers seekeâ—hrist â—hrist sooner than the children 130. ¶ We must seeke Câ—â—ist because Hee â—keth us His gâ—aces are precious He gâ—eth salvation 131. It is in vaine to seâ—ke Christ in this world or worldly thing 360. ¶ We sell our soules tâ—the Divell for pleasures and profits 183. * Of Christs sendin his Disciples 342. Diverse opinions by the sentence at the day of judgemeâ—â— is pronounced first to the godly then the wicked 444. Of the dreadfull seene of the last judgement 445. †The wofull separaâ—on of dearest friends at the day of judgeâ—ent 431 432. Separation from â—he Church Vnlawfuâ—â— Lawfull 537. Gods Service oughâ— be preferr'd before all things 249. God had rather aâ—e of his Service than Man lose his comfort 459. A twofold Service to Christ Voluntary of the godly Vnwilling of the wicked 69 * Our friendship by reconciliation in Christ alters not the condition of Servants 454. ¶ Distinction of sheckles 183. The properties of sheepe 435. Christs manifestation of the sheepheards 120. Vnder shewes of law and justice the innocent destroyed 195. * Signes of the last judgement See judgement Of the signe of the Sonne of Man 417. What it is 419. The Crosse no signe of the Sonne of Man 418. The strange silence of Christ 208. Silence in Christs cause will make him silent in ours 201. * The manifestation of Christ to Simeon 138. Simeon A just man A devout religious man One that waited for the coÌ„solation of Israel 138 c. Our case worse than Simeons because if wee see not Christ by faith wee perish 140. ¶ Sinnes of omission will condemne a man as well as sinnes of commission 473. Small sins will condemne as well as great 474. Small sinnes great in Gods account 474. How it stands with Gods justice to punish sinne eternally 470. ¶ The brightest sinnes have a darke shadow 422. The private acting of sinne compared to writing with the juice of a Lemman 438. In sinne Guilt Power 75. The sinnes of the Godly shall not be remembred at the day of judgement 468. ¶ The burthen of sinne pressed Christ downe downe to the ground 158. †Christ the sinne-offering of the Church 215. †How to deale with sinne 5. The horriblenesse of sinne that could not be done away otherwise than by the blood of Christ 76. †93. ¶ Why the weight of sinne is no more felt 442. Sinne seemes light to wicked men because It is in its proper place Of the insensibility of their consciences They look on the face not the tail therof 159. Great sinnes if fals of weakenesse and repented of Christ will pardon 315. By sinne wee become strangers to God 150. ¶ Sinne make GOD forsake his Servants 174. Our sinnes merit deprivement of all Gods blessings 222. * No release from sinne but by forgivenesse 611. Man unable to satisfie for sinne ibid. Continuance in sinne makes Christ lose his labour 151. ¶ Hee that gives place to small sinnes will afterward make no conscience of greater 181. ¶ The harboring of a secret sinne eats out of the heart all good affections 202. * Seasonable stopping of sinne 206. †Of Christs sitting at the right hand of God 370. Men in their naturals no better than slaves in the sight of God 184. * Christ sold for wealth
burthens Christian patience can beare as blindnesse sicknesse losse of goods or such like but the burthen of sin maketh the stoutest man to stoope as Psal 38. 4. For my iniquities are gone over my head as an heavie burthen they are too heavie for me So also Psal 40. 12. David complaines thus For innumerable troubles have compassed me my sinnes have taken such hold on me that I am not able to looke up Now we have three Vses First seeing that sinne is such a burthen that Christ is not able to beare it we should be afraid to deale with it and therefore before we meddle with sin we should doe as Porters doe that are to carry a burthen they will first peyse it and feele whither they be able to beare it and if they be not it shall not come on their backes so before we meddle with sinne wee should peyse and feele the burthen of it and since it is such an intolerable burt hen we would take heede how we meddle with it Secondly seeing sinne is such a heavy burthen that it made Christ to fall upon the ground not being able to stand under the burthen of it wee must take heed wee doe not adde to the burthen of Christ now by every sinne we commit we doe adde to this burthen and when wee see Christ lying under the burthen of our sinnes what doe wee doe we seeke to ease him of his burthen No we commit one sinne to day and another to morrow and so wee adde from time to time to make more heavy the burthen that Christ bare for us for there is great difference betweene the sinnes that the Heathen commit and those of a Christian for the sinnes of Christians they be upon the backe of Christ but the sinnes that the Heathen commit they rest upon themselves Exod 23. the Lord saith that if a man seeth his enemies Asse under a burthen hee is commanded to helpe him up now if we be bound to shew mercy to a beast much more to Christ therefore we must take heed that we doe not adde to the burthen of Christ Thirdly seeing Christ was burthened with our sinnes we must feele the burthen of them too it is a marvellous thing that we never feele the burthen of them nor be not touched for them Of which there be three Reasons First because sinne is in suo loco in the place of sinne for as the Philosophers say No Element is heavy or burthensome in his owne place as in the Sea let a man bee in the bottome of it although hee hath the whole Sea on his backe yet hee feeles it not but let him take up a bucket full out of the Sea out of his place and then he shall feele how heavy it is so wee doe not feele the weight of sinne in us because this place is the place of sinne but let a man be taken out of this life let him be brought before Gods judgement barre and then we shall feele the weight and burthen of sinne Secondly because of the deadnesse and insensibility of our conscience Ephes 2. 1. saith the Apostle Yee who were dead in trespasses and sinnes we know if a man bee dead we may tumble a house downe upon him and he will not feele it so because we be dead in sinnes and trespasses this is the reason why wee cannot feele the burthen of sinne in us although it be a great weight and burthen Thirdly because we looke upon the face and not upon the tayle of sinne upon the pleasures and delights of it but not upon the tayle thereof that is to the punishment which shall follow the pleasures of sin may be compared to the streames of Iordan a pleasant streame wherein the fish tooke great delight play leape skip and friske but at last it carrieth them into the dead Sea and so are killed so men delight themselves as it were with the streames of Iordan the pleasures and delights of sin but it carrieth them into the dead sea to hell and destruction therefore because men looke on the face of sinne and not on the taile therof this is the Reason why they feele it not The second thing that was observed was the carriage of Christ in Prayer wherein we are to consider two things 1. What Hee praied for 2. The limitation of his prayer First what he prayed for that this cup might passe from him we are not to thinke that this cup was a materiall cup but the cup of Gods wrath which he was to drinke and which our sinnes had tempered that cup that David speaketh of Psal 75. 8. every sinne is like a drop of poyson put into this cup for Christ to drinke if a childe should goe into a garden and gather rue wormewood and a number of bitter things and temper a cup with them and give them to his father to drinke this childe might bee condemned at every bodies hands so we may be censured in that we temper a cup not for our father to drinke but for Christ our Saviour and Redeemer the Iewes gave him gall and vinegar to drinke but wee give him a cup tempered with our sinnes more bitter than gall therefore we must pray to God to forgive us and remember that when we sinne wee are tempering a cup for Christ to drinke and as Christ prayed that God would take away the cup from him so must wee for if it bee not taken away from us wee are like to drinke it our selves The second thing observed in his prayer is the limitation of it Father not as I will but as thou wilt Hee had a desire indeede that the cup might passe away from him but with this limitation if it were the will of God for if it had passed from him it had come to thee and to me Now as Christ prayed with limitation so must wee doe when wee see any crosse or affliction is ready to light on us wee may pray to God against it but it must bee with limitation if it bee his good will therefore this doth check the world that whatsoever they pray for they must have it without any limitation at Gods hands or else they are impatient Thirdly wee have to consider the wonderfull marvellous and strange effect that it wrought which was that the pressure and burthen of our sins caused Christ to sweat not an ordinary sweat as wee doe but to sweat blood and that not thinne but thick and congealed blood besides it was not in a sparing manner but in such abundance that it came through his garments and left the markes and prints behinde upon the ground such was the weight and burthen of our sinnes that it made him to sweat on this manner as we have heard and that not when he was in the warme house but in the garden cold ayre on cold ground and in such a cold time as Peter was glad to creepe
Esai 53. wee are all like sheepe that are gone out of the way To this purpose is that of Chrysostome If thou wilt be a Iudge set up a throne in thine owne heart and arraigne thy selfe God hath not made thee a Iudge of another man but of thy owne life thus the arraignment of Christ should teach us to arraigne our selves Thirdly the manner how judicially under a colour of law as if they did intend justice whereas they intended nothing lesse under this colour they condemne the innocent and I would it were not so still in the world that under the shew of law they destroy the innocent that it was so of old appeares 1 King 21. where Ahab killed Naboth under colour of law and Act. 7. 23. Steven was before Ananias yea and now also are there a number of such Caiphas's in the world that will say they doe nothing but law and yet under the colour thereof destroy the innocent but this may be a comfort to a Christian that though he be condemned in the court of man yet hee is cleare in the great court of God where he shall be acquitted from all unjust taxations Now there be foure testimonies of Christs innocency First that they sought picked matter against Him they had none before they had taken him now they seeke matter against him and therefore they examine him of his Disciples and of his Doctrine thinking thereby to picke out something that they might lay to his charge and finde him guilty thereupon but hee who was the wisedome of the Father staves them off and keepes them from taking any occasion from his words by his wise and discreet answer as shall appeare if we take into consideration these two things 1. His holy concealement 2. His holy defence First for His holy concealement he doth not discover his Disciples but answers onely for his Doctrine not a word of them hee might have said One of them betraied him and another had denied him and that they all fled from him and ranne away but because he could not speake any good of them therefore Hee rather would say nothing would to God men would thinke of this when they speake of their neighbours if they cannot speake any good of them rather not to speake at all but it is a corruption in nature that men had rather speake of their neighbours vices than of their vertues contrary to that precept Tit. 2. to speake evill of no man Secondly His holy defence he defends his doctrine and sends them to al the common people that they might testifie of it saith hee I spake openly to the world I ever taught openly in the Synagogues and in the Temple whither the Iewes resorted continually And in secret places have I said nothing aske them that heard me he cared not who should judge him though if were his enemies which should teach us that wee should so live as that our enemies can have no just cause against us so Paul carried himselfe 1 Thes 2. 10. Yee are witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved our selves amongst you and the Prophet 1 Sam. 12. 3. Behold saith hee here am I witnesse against me before the Lord and before his annointed whose exe have I taken c Secondly that they sought for witnesses against him there were enow of witnesses for him but they seeke for witnesses against him if they had asked Nicodemus he could have told that no man could have done those miracles except God were with him So if they had asked the blinde man Ioh. 9. 33. or the people Mark 7. 37. they would have told them Hee hath done all things well or the officers and sergeants and they would have answered Never man spake like this man Ioh. 7. 46. they might have found enough to cleare Christs innocency but they were bent the other way The third was that they got witnesses but their witnesses did not agree for howsoever the Priests had plotted the matter and put into their mouths yet they disagreed so let men take heed how they bee false witnesses they may plot the matter and yet be confounded in their speech and so bring a reproch to themselves and let such remember what is written Prov. 19. 9. That a false witnesse shall not be unpunished c. Now the Evangelists declare the matter further by an example of two false witnesses that came in against him the one alleaging this man said I can destroy the Temple of God and build it againe in three daies Marke relates it we heard him say I will destroy this Temple that is made with hands and in three daies I will build another made without hands Now the Spirit of God calleth them false witnesses for though Christ spake some such words yet it was contrary to this sense and meaning for they spake of the materiall Temple and Hee of the Temple of his body And this must make us take heed how we report the words of Christ lest wee be false witnesses against him as the Papists are who literally taking these words This is my body say that the bread is the reall body of Christ as he was borne of the Virgin Mary Christ meaneth spiritually that it is a signe of his body though they take it for the materiall body of Christ so also the Arrians are false witnesses because Christ saith My father is greater than I they say Christ is not equall with the Father but he spake in regard of his humanity The fourth testimony of his innocencie was that Hee was condemned for the truth for he said he was the Sonne of God as he was indeed and so he died an innocent man But why doth Christ inlarge this answer for two causes 1. To comfort himselfe 2. To terrifie his enemies First to comfort himselfe that howsoever hee stood now as a poore prisoner arraigned and condemned at their barre yet one day they shall come before him to be arraigned of him there he doth comfort himselfe with future glory now as Christ did comfort himselfe even so should all Christians in the time of their afflictions when they be sicke poore and in distresse whatsoever thy estate be meane or poore yet one day thinke I shall be with God where I shall not want anything thus Christ comforts his Disciples Matth. 19. Verely I say unto you that when the Sonne of man shall sit in the throne of his majesty ye which have followed mee in the regeneration shall sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel so Stephen comforts himselfe when a showre of stones came about him in that he saw heaven open and Christ standing at Gods right hand ready to helpe him and receive his soule Secondly to terrifie his enemies for howsoever they thought themselves great men yet one day they were to have Christ to bee their Iudge even this same poore Iesus O that the world would thinke
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
as Christ speakes Matth. 12. 40. As Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so the sonne of Man shall be three dayes and three nights in the body of the earth therefore the body of Christ was no lower than the grave it descended no further And this may be a sweet comfort to us that the bodies of Christians descend no lower than the grave therefore when we see a Christian laid into his grave he is in the worst estate wee shall see him in but the wicked descend lower and lower til they come at hell though their bodies doe not descend when they be buried yet when they shall rise againe at the last Iudgement then not onely their soules but also their bodies shall goe to hell as Psal 9. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God but when a Christian is buried and laid in his grave here is the worst estate shal befal them for where the body of Christ rested there the bodies of Christians shall rest after death to wit in the grave The second is That Christ went downe in his Spirit into hell or descended thither to preach to the damned to convert them This opinion seemes more unreasonable than the former but Bellarmine confutes it for hee saith that life is the time of grace there is no repentance nor converting unto God after death according as Christ saith Iohn 9. Worke while it is called today for the night commeth on when no man can worke And 2 Cor. 5. We shall all appeare before the judgement seat of God to answer for that we have done in the body whether it be good or bad So there is no repentance after death but then we must come to judgement to answer for that we have done in our flesh And Galath 6. Whiles we have time doe good here in this life-time is the doing of good and therefore it is a sure thing that if we doe not repent and turne unto God while wee live here wee shall not repent after death because this life-time is the time of grace and of repentance therefore it must be the wisdome of men to repent of their sins to turne unto God lay hold on life and salvation while they live here for if they be dead and laid in the grave it is impossible that they should repent because this life time is the time of repentance S. Chrysostome saith there be two kindes of Repentance fruitfull and unfruitfull or penall repentance Fruitfull repentance is in this life Penall repentance after this life in hell for it is true saith he the damned in hell shall repent them of their sins the whoremaster of his whoring the drunkard of his drunkennesse the swearer of his swearing but this repentance shall be unfruitfull though it be an afflictive repentance therefore if wee would have fruit and benefit by our conversion we must repent whiles we live here The third is That Christ descended into hell to suffer the paines and torments of hell in his soule where we should have suffered I answer the Scripture is plaine for this that Christ did not suffer for us in hell for hee suffered on the crosse where all was finished therefore hee did not need to descend into hell to suffer paines and torments there as Hebr. 2. 14. Forsomuch as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloud he also himselfe having tooke part with them that by death hee might destroy him that had power ever death that is the Devill so Christ did overcome the Devill by dying But it may be objected and said that we deserved to have suffered the paines of hell for ever and therefore Christ descended into hell for us To this I answer that if this reason were good then he in soule should not onely have suffered the torments of hell but his body too for wee deserve not onely to have our soules tormented but our bodies also therefore this cannot stand us in stead Christ suffered the paines of hell but not in the place of hell but partly in the Garden and partly on the Crosse which was sufficient for mans offence as a man that hath a summe of money to pay if he pay it though it be not in the same place all is well it cannot be required againe so Christ hath paid and satisfied God for our sinnes though not in the same place where we should have suffered but partly in the Garden when he was in the bloudy sweat and partly on the Crosse when he made that bitter complaint My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And therefore this may give us comfort that God is satisfied and will not require any more at our hands if wee be in Christ The Fourth is That Christ went not downe to hell but hee went to the upper skirts and brims of hell where the Fathers were floting so to fetch them thence This is the opinion of the Papists and is more unreasonable than any of the former for the Fathers were not in the upper skirts and brims of hel but were saved by the same faith we be as we see Act. 15. 11. But wee beleeve through the grace of the Lord Iesus Christ to be saved as they doe so the Fathers were saved by the same meanes we are for the same means were in the Old Testament that is in the New but that there was a veile before it To this effect we have Psal 102. 24. I said take mee not away in the midst of my dayes but there is a plainer place than this Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit shall returne unto God that gave it So the soules of good men we see went not to the border of hell but to God as Luke 16. when Lazarus was dead his soule was carried into Abrahams bosome and Dives into hell Now there be two evidences that Lazarus was not in the border and skirts of hell First because his soule was carried by the Angels who doe not carry mens soules into hell but into heaven Secondly because that he was in a place of comfort and joy but there is poore comfort in hell therefore we may see that the Papists opinion is very erroneous and false But there is another Scripture to be answered where it is said Heb. 9. 12. that the way to the holiest of holy was not made by the bloud of Goats and Calves but by the bloud of Christ and then it followes there was no way to heaven but by the death of Christ To this I answer first that there was no way to heaven by the legal sacrifices only the vertue and power of Christs sacrifice laid the way open to us Secondly all that came to heaven must come by the vertue and power of Christ for his death was as vertuall and effectuall to save men from the beginning as
looke for as they have trouble so they shall have deliverance out of it as Paul saith 2 Tim. 2. 12. If wee suffer with Christ wee shall also raigne with him of these things saith the Apostle put them in remembrance as they bee humbled here so they shall bee exalted in time to come all the people of God must sustaine themselves with this as Iob 14. where he saith All the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my change come their shame shall be turned into glory and their paines into ease their trouble into joy so also saith David Psal 123. as the eyes of a servant waite on his master and the eyes of a maide attend on her mistresse so we will waite on thee till thou have mercy on us therefore it is plaine as there is a time of trouble so there will be a time of mercy as Christ had these two times so all the people of God shall have these two times Now there be foure degrees of his exaltation 1. His resurrection from the dead 2. His ascension 3. His sitting at the right hand of God 4. His comming to judgement Now of the resurrection of Christ there bee divers things to bee considered 1. Why it was needefull Christ should rise 2. When he rose againe 3. The manner of his rising againe 4. In what estate he did rise againe 5. The manifestation of his rising 6. The fruite and benefit we attaine thereby First The reason why it was needfull Christ should rise for as there were reasons why he should suffer so there are also reasons why he should rise againe First To assure us that all our sinnes are pardoned purged and expiated in the death of Christ for if there had beene but one sinne of so many thousands committed unexpiated and unreconciled the guilt of that one sin would have held Christ under for ever for Paul saith the wages of sinne is death therefore seeing Christ did rise againe it is a plaine evidence that there is not one sinne but is done away and reconciled and yee many a man doth not thinke of this but lyeth in a number of sinnes whereas we see that one sin had been sufficient to have held Christ under death for ever therefore saith Paul Rom. 8. 33. who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that justifieth who shall condemne and againe in chap. 4. ult he saith Christ was delivered for our sinnes and raised againe for our justification for as Christ was justified before God so is every true Christian by the meanes of Christ Wee see in experience that a man being cast into prison for another mans debt having chaines cast on his hands and fetters on his feet if the party see a little while after the chaines taken off his hands and his fetters knocked off from his feet himselfe to have liberty to walke abroad he may surely thinke that his debt is discharged this is the case betweene Christ and us we were indebted to God Christ is become our surety he is taken and cast into the grave and the chaines of death are cast on him therefore when a little while after Christ comes out of the grave and casts off the chaines of death and walkes at liberty againe we may thinke mans debt is answered we reconciled God pacified and pleased and we shall not answere for it before the tribunall of God for if there had beene but one sinne unexpiated that one sinne would have kept Christ under therefore in that Christ rose it is an evidence that our sinnes are pardoned and expiated Secondly Christ rose to applie salvation for he did purchase and worke mans salvation by his death and rose againe to apply it for though salvation and redemption was wrought by his death and purchased for us yet unlesse he had rose againe to apply it we could have had no benefit by it for all that we might have perished as Ioh. 7. 39. it is said The Spirit was not yet given because Iesus was not yet glorified there were many goodly promises made unto the Church and gifts given but they had them not till such time as Christ was risen to apply them Augustine saith that he made excellent promises to the Church but there was not a hand of power to bestow them till Christ was risen and therefore it was needfull that Christ should rise as Physitians and Surgeons temper a great many of plaisters and then send their servants our to apply them so Christ hath tempered many plaisters with his blood to heale the conscience that is sicke of sin and he sends out his faithfull ministers to apply them we see many times a father doth purchase goodly lands and livings which the childe never enjoyes but Christ hee hath not purchased life and salvation for us but hee lives againe to put us in possession of it therefore it was needfull that Christ should rise againe to apply salvation to us Thirdly That hee might bee an undoubted evidence to us that we shall rise againe Augustine saith that which went before in the head shall follow in the members for as Christ did rise out of the grave so he shall raise all his members Now hee will raise them two waies first out of the grave secondly out of trouble whiles they live here First Christ will raise his members out of the grave for as hee himselfe rose out of the grave so hee will raise them out of it by the same vertue and power howsoever they may dye as others doe and turne to dust yet one day they shall rise againe out of their graves so saith Paul 1 Thes. 4. 16. the dead in Christ shall rise and vers 17. he shewes that they which are a live at the comming of Christ shall not prevent them which are dead which is plainely manifested 1 Cor. 15. 22. that as in Adam all died even so in Christ shall all be made alive Now every man seeth how we dye by Adam but the faith of a Christian must goe further and see how he shall live by Christ this must be the onely stay of a Christian that howsoever hee shall dye and bee turned into dust yet one day hee shall rise againe by the power of Christ therefore howsoever we may be humbled heere have much trouble and affliction and in the end dye and turne to dust yet let us comfort our selves with this that one day wee shall rise againe by the power of Christ to possesse eternall happinesse thus Iob did sustaine himselfe when he was forsaken of his friends when hee was a stranger to his maides his wife not regarding him hee saies joyfully to himselfe in the nineteeth Chapter I know my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand at the latter day on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh in like manner a Christian ought to sustaine himselfe that
though a great deale of sorrow and misery befall him yet one day hee shall see God with his eyes so also David saith Psal 16. 9. Wherefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoyceth my flesh also resteth in hope for thou wilt not leave my soule in the grave neither wilt thou let thy holy one to see corruption and more over this was that comfort that Christ gave to his Disciples Matth. 20. 19. when hee told them of his passion And they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe Now that which comforted Iob David and Christ must comfort us for as Christ did rise so all his members shall rise and therefore let us conjoyne our selves to Christ whilest wee live here that so wee may dye with Christ and let us lay our selves under him in the grave I meane our lusts and sinnes and then as Christ rose so we shall rise but if thou doe not conjoyne thy selfe with Christ in his death and lye under him in the grave then Christ shall rise and thou shalt lie still in the grave nay it were well if it might bee so for thou shalt rise againe but Christ shall rise to glory and thou to shame Christ shall rise to possesse eternall life and thou eternall death Secondly we shall not onely rise out of the grave but we shall also rise out of trouble for as there is a power of Christ to pull us out of the grave so there is a power of Christ to raise us out of trouble It is an opinion in the World that there is a power of Christ to raise them out of the grave yet they doe not know that there is also a power of Christ to raise them out of their troubles but howsoever this is unknowne to the world yet it should be knowne to a Christian To which effect the Apostle speakes 2 Corinth 4. 10. We alwaies beare about in our bodies the dying of the Lord Iesus that the life of Iesus might be made manifest in our mortall bodies And vers 14. saith he knowing that he which raised up the Lord Iesus shall raise us up also by Iesus and shall present us with you These words are to be understood of raising them out of trouble to comfort them in this world And so 2 Tim. 2. 9. Remember saith he that Iesus Christ made of the seede of David was raised againe from the dead Remember this you that suffer for good causes that as Christ was raised so you shall be raised to comfort and joy out of your troubles so these be the reasons why it was needefull Christ should rise First To assure us that our sinnes are expiated and pardoned Secondly To apply Salvation Thirdly To be an undoubted evidence to us that we shall rise out of the grave and out of our troubles in this world Secondly The time when hee did rise againe and that is exactly set downe the third day according as Christ foretold in the 2 of Iohn I will destroy this Temple and in three daies I will build it againe and Matth. 20 19. the place before mentioned and they shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mocke and to scourge and to crucifie him but the third day he shall rise againe and so in this place which I read unto you that he was buried and that hee rose the third day according to the Scriptures Now there is reason why hee rose no sooner and there is reason why he rose no later as that being the fittest time for him to rise in of which I will speake at this time First Because that it might he an evidence to the Iewes that he was truely dead for if he had risen the first day or the second then they would have thought he had beene in a trance or in a sound onely and therefore to cleare this point he did not rise till the third day because all the hope of the pardon of our sinnes hangs on the death of Christ and all the hope of Gods favor and therefore he would have this point sealed to the World and this was the first reason why Christ rose no sooner Secondly That the Disciples might have an evidence of the power of the death of Christ for there was a greater power in Christ to rise againe when he had beene possessed and vanquished of death three dayes than if he had rose the first day And Augustine saith that Christ did more shew his power in rising from death when they had killed him than hee should have done if he had come downe from the Crosse when they â—ad him so there was a greater power of Christ seene in rising the third day than if he should have risen the first day or the second it was a greater matter that hee should recover when all hope was passed the widdowes sonne in the Gospell was raised when he lay upon the Beere to bee carried to burying Entichus when he fell out of the window and the dead man assoone as he did touch the dead bones of Elisha but Christ recovered when hee had beene three dayes together vanquished of death and this doth shew the great power of Christ Thirdly To teach us Christians patience that if wee doe not arise out of trouble the first day or the second yet still to waite with christian patience till the third day that is many dayes together till the time that God hath appointed Therefore if wee be not raised out of trouble so soone as wee desire let us not murmure or grudge against God and be impatient but quiet our selves with the good will of God and waite with patience till the time he hath appointed for our deliverance It is the manner of the world if they be in their troubles but a day or two they say how long Lord how long as if they tarried too long but the patience of Christ must teach us patience and to quiet our selves with the good will of God so David did Psal 123. As the eyes of a servant looke to his master and the eyes of a Mayden to her Mistris so our eyes wait on thee till thou shew mercie and though it be not to day nor to morrow yet we waite on thee till thou shew mercie yee remember that Christ Iesus said to Marie when there wanted wine My houre is not yet come There be two houres God hath his houre and wee have our houre our houre is as soone as wee stand in neede but Christs houre is to helpe when all meanes faile there be many that desire ease and peace and comfort but we must tarrie Christs houre wee must waite with Christian patience till the third day come So much for the reasons why Christ rose no sooner now wee are come to speake why hee arose no later The first reason is To shâ—w that if he had deferred it any longer the Iewes might have
said to Christ Tarry with us for the day is farre spent and the night drawes on so a Christian should say at the time of his death My life is farre spent old age is come upon me and sicknesse and death drawes on Lord tarry thou with me and I pray thee that I may so shut up mine eyes in this world and that they may bee opened in the kingdome of heaven and that I may dye in thy favour in the pardon and forgivenesse of my sinnes and in the peace of a quiet conscience Thus David praieth in the Psal Yea even untill mine old age and gray head O Lord forsake me not And so againe Psal 27. 9. Hide not therefore thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure thou hast bin my succour leave mee not nor forsake mee O God of my salvation And these be the two times when we are specially to desire Christ to be with us Now we come to the next thing which is how Christ was knowne of them and it is said In the breaking of the bread here two questions are to be answered 1 What is meant by Bread 2 How Christ was knowne by the breaking of Bread First what is meant by Bread whether it were ordinary common Bread or whether it were sacred and consecrated to an holy use I answer that the Bread heere spoken of is not Sacramentall but ordinary Bread The Papists take advantage by this place as they doe by all others that seeme to serve their turne for when they be urged and asked why they breake the Lords institutions to give Bread and not wine contrary to the commandement of Christ seeing Christ instituted both to this they answer that the Church of Rome hath an example to doe so because Christ did administer the Sacraments to the two Disciples going to Emmaus But we can prove by these two reasons taken out of their owne Doctrine and Canons that this breaking of Bread cannot bee meant of Bread used in the institution of the Sacraments but of ordinary and common Bread First because they hold it a sacriledge for any Priest to consecrate Bread without Wine for they will have them both consecrated together though none but the Bread be administred but in this place there is none but Bread spoken of and therefore it was not Bread used in the Sacraments Secondly because their owne Doctrine and Canons say that it cannot bee a Sacrament without the five words of consecration Take eate this is my body but there were not these five words of consecration and therefore it is not meant of the Sacrament Now they have two reasons against this argument First In that they say there is the same forme of words that is used in the institution of the Sacrament both in Matth. 26. and also in the Gospell of Saint Luke where the institution is spoken of and that is that he tooke the bread and blessed it and gave it c. To this I answer they may as well prove the five loaves and the two fishes that Christ fed the people with Matth. 15. to be a Sacrament for there it is said he tooke the bread and blessed the same and gave it so there are the same forme of words Secondly they say if it had not beene this Sacrament Christ would not have administred it he would not have blessed the bread and brake it and have given it because he was a stranger To this I answer that it was the manner of the Iewes that the best men in the company gave thankes brake the bread and did not put it off to a childe as many doe at these dayes therefore because he was the best and most gravity did appeare in his face therefore hee did blesse it and gave it Now then if it were an ordinary foode or Repast this must teach us two things First that we should not take a bit of bread into our mouths till wee have blessed God for it and so it was the manner of the people to doe 1 Sam. 9. 15. the maids said to Saul that The people would not eate till Samuel came and had blessed the sacrifice and so Act. 27. Paul when he was amongst strangers in the ship in the presence of them all he gave thankes We see Christ did not take bread till he had given thanks and blessed it Therefore how dare any man take a morsell or a bit of meate into his mouth till he hath by holy prayer drawne downe a blessing upon him Christ he would not he that was the Creator of all and therefore how dare a Man that is but flesh and bloud take his dinner and supper and never give thankes nor blesse the bread surely man hath not more liberty than Christ Secondly that as these two Disciples did travell with Christ and when they came at their waies end did then eat and drinke with Christ and comfortably refresh themselves so let us travell with Christ here in this world and when we come at our journeies end we shall eate and drinke with him in the Kingdome of Heaven so wee see Luke 22. 29. Therefore I appoint unto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome so Revel 2. To him that overcommeth will I give to eate of the hâ—dden Manna Therefore let us labour to travell with Christ here in this world and then howsoever we may have trouble and affliction heere yet when wee come at our journeyes end wee shall bee comfortably refreshed in the Kingdome of Heaven The second question is how Christ was knowne in the breaking of bread some say because hee brake the bread so smooth as if it had beene cut with a knife but it cannot be so because it is said hee was knowne in the breaking of the bread not by the breaking and some say he was knowne by the maner of his thanks-giving but it is not said that he was knowne by this but in breaking of the bread therefore it is best to follow the words of the Text That he was knowne of them in the breaking of the bread for their eies were held that they knew him not before and at that very instant at the act of breaking the bread then the Lord opened their eyes which may teach us that there may be a presence of God in our houses in the fields and in the places where we be and yet wee cannot see it unlesse the Lord open our eyes Therefore as the two blinde men cryed unto Christ and said O Sonne of David have mercy on us whom Christ asked what they would have they said Lord that our eyes may bee opened so we must cry to Christ to open our eyes that wee may see his goodnesse and mercy to us The next thing is what they did when Christ was vanished out of their sight here be divers things to be considered only
I will commend unto you two things First that they said one unto another Did not our hearts burne when hee spake unto us so wee should examine our selves when Christ hath spoken unto us whether our hearts burne whether we were afflicted with that which was taught us If we find not this we may say to our selves What did we heare why doe we misse-spend the time Secondly that they could not be at rest they could not tarry but they went and told it to their brethren so when God hath made any good thing knowne unto us we should not be at rest but should tell it to our wives to our children to our friends and to our acquaintance we remember what Christ said to the women Goe tell my brethren and even so I may say to you Go tell your friends and tell your brethren the good things yee have heard tell it to your wives and children and if yee cannot remember any more yet remember this how wee may retaine and keepe Christ namely with this short prayer of these disciples The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so my life is night spent and the night of death drawes on Lord tarry with us and then we shall make a happy close of our life when Wee shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of heaven SERMON XXXV IOHN 20. 19. Then the same day at Evening being the first day of the weeke when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes came Iesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be unto you FIve severall times Christ appeared the same day that he rose againe first To Mary Magdalen secondly To the two women going from the grave thirdly To the two Disciples going to Emmaus fourthly To all the Disciples being met together Thomas being away fifthly To Simon Peter I have shewed the reasons why Christ appeared so many times in one day which was to dedicate and institute the Christian Sabbath that Christ spending the whole day in heavenly apparitions might leave example to us to spend it in holy duties and service therefore a Christian hath no other originall of his Sabbaths than the Lord himselfe now if Christ hath ordained the Sabbath hee that hath all power in his hand then it must be our care to keepe it Iudas is condemned by the mouth of all men not onely that he stole but also that he stole from Christ so if we doe not apply our selves to the duties of the Sabbaths wee steale from Christ nay Iudas stole but his mony but thou stealest away Christian duties and service from him Now in this manifestation of Christ to his Disciples we may observe three things 1. In what Disposition they were 2. In what Manner he appearde 3. The Effects of it First what Disposition they were in laid downe two waies First they were assembled together after the death of Christ they were all scattered and did fly one from another but now they were assembled like a flocke of sheepe that are scattered with a dog which afterwards gather together againe which may teach us that if wee fall we should labour to rise againe and if we scatter wee should labour to gather together againe so Christ saith Revel 2. 5. Remember from whence thou art fallen Repent and doe thy first workes and Psal 119. ult David saith I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke me for as a sheepe that is gone is not at rest but cries to the shepheard and the flocke and is not at quiet till it be in the fold againe so if we be scattered from God wee must not be at rest but cry unto God and unto the flocke till wee come home to God againe and although we fall yet we must labour to rise againe though one throw mud into a fountaine yet in time it will worke it selfe cleere againe so if we fall into any sinne we must labour to cleare our selves againe we see in nature the little Birds though they fly here and there in the day time yet they will home to their nests at night in like manner howsoever a man may have some fals in the day time yet let him returne home againe to God in the night this must be the care of Christians that seeing they have daily fearefull and dangerous fals yet they must labour to rise againe and to recover There be two reasons to be given of their gathering together First to nourish the little sparkes of Faith that was left in them this was the cause why the Disciples were assembled and may teach us that although there be but a little faith and life of grace in us after wee have battered it with the temptations of the devill yet wee should labour to nourish that little sparke that is left which is the counsell Christ gives us in the Revelation Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine and are â—â—dy to dye although there be but a little faith and grace yet labour to nourish them so also lately wee heard our Saviour Christ did to the two Disciples going to Emmaus finding their faith weake hee doth labour to nourish and strengthen the same 2 King 9. as Iehoram when he was wounded of the Assyrians returned to Iezreel to be healed of his wounds so when the devill hath wounded us in our faith love care and in our zeale we must returne to the use of good means that so we may recover againe If a man have a tree that stands in his orchard if there bee but a little life left in it he will dig and dung it about and lay fresh moulds to the roote of it so if there bee a little life of grace left in us wee should labour to nourish the same by prayer hearing the Word preached and by receiving the Sacraments that so wee may recover againe thus the Disciples were assembled together to nourish that sparke of faith which was left in them Secondly because they were in hope thereby to finde a blessing upon them others had seene Christ and they assembled together in hope to see him too which may teach us that the blessing of God upon others in the use of good meanes must give us comfortable hope that if we use the same meanes we shall finde a blessing of God upon us that as others have beene brought by the preaching of the Word to faith and repentance and to a comfortable feeling of Gods favour to bee perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned so if wee use the same meanes we shall have the same blessing upon us As David saith Psal 48. Wee have thought of thy loving kindnesse O Lord in the middest of thy Temple other men have found a blessing upon them and therefore we looke for the like upon us But why were the Disciples desirous to see Christ because they had felt the
the power of God is in all places but the humanitie of Christ is confined to one place onely therefore this cannot bee the true sense indeede it is said Matth. 26. 64. Neverthelesse ye shall see the Sonne of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and comming in the Clouds the meaning whereof is expressed afterwards chap. 28. 18. that all power and authoritie is given unto him of God Secondly the Right hand of God is taken for The goodnesse and glory of beaven and happinesse as Psal 16. 11. At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore but it cannot be so taken in this place for though it bee true that Christ is blessed in the kingdome of heaven in joy and happinesse yet this is common to all the Angels and Saints for they enjoy all the pleasures in heaven but to sit at the right hand of God is peculiar to Christ onely as it is Heb. 1. 13. To which of his Angels said he at any time Sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole Thirdly the right hand of God is taken for the Next place to God in dignity and honor Rule and government It is the manner of Kings and Princes when they doe advance any to office next themselves to set them at their right hand as 2 King 19. Salomon caused a seate to be set for the Kings mother and set her at his right hand And Psal 45. 9. it is said Vpon thy right hand did sit the Queene in a garment of gold so to sit at the right hand of God is to be in the next place to God in Dignity and Honour in Rule and Government And this is heere meant for this sitting at the right hand of God is nothing else but a dignity and honour given him of the Father whereby hee is indued with a power to rule and governe all things immediately both in heaven and earth Secondly how hee is said to sit at the Right hand of God and that is because he is in the highest place next to God in dignitie and honour administration and government of this whole world and also particularly of the Church of God so to sit at the Right hand of God implyes two things First That Christ is in the next place to God in dignity and honour as Phil. 2. 9. saith the Apostle Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given a name unto him above all names that at the name of Iesus every knee should bow of both things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth which is to bee understood not onely of the outward gesture and reverence to bee used at the Name of Iesus but chiefly of the internall soveraignty and authority of Iesus because hee should set his throne above all thrones in that all powers shall bee subject to him both in heaven and earth and so all knees shall bow unto him Secondly That hee is in Rule and Government in the highest place next to God Ephes 1. 20 21. it is said That God hath set him at his Right hand in heavenly places farre above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not in this world only but also in that which is to come and hath made all things subject under his feet and hath appointed him over all things to be the head to the Church These bee the two things implyed in his sitting at the Right hand of God whence wee are to take notice of two things First That Christ hath enobled our nature and hath lifted it up above Angels and Archangels therefore seeing Christ hath thus dignified and enobled the nature of man in setting it above Angels and Archangels what shall wee answer to God if wee abase it and bring it below the meanest of the creatures I doe not say below the Sunne and Moone and Starres which are constant in their motions and courses but below the dumbe creatures for they doe moderate themselves in their appetites they will take no more meat and drinke than will doe them good and will bee moderate in their sleepe therfore what shall wee answer to God for our excesse But I would to God we could stay here Christ hath lifted up our nature above the Angels and we imbase it and bring it below the devils for when men bee ruled by the devill they make themselves slaves to him and so bring themselves below the devill as wee see hee could no sooner bid Adam eat but he did eat and Caine kill his brother but he kils him and Iudas betray his Master but he betrayed him so he can no sooner bid men sweare but they will sweare or lye but they will lye or prophane the Sabbath but they will doe it therefore when men are thus ruled by him what is it but to make themselves slaves to the devill and then how shall men answer this injury and wrong done to Christ we read Prov. 31. 4. Bathsheba saith to her sonne It is not for Kings O Lemuel to drinke wine nor for princes to drinke strong drinke lest they drinke and forget the law so is not for Christians to sweare to lye to deceive one another to prophane the Sabbaths for Christ hath graced them and therefore they must take heed they doe not disgrace their selves Christ hath innobled their nature and set it up above the Angels and therefore they must take heed they doe not disgrace it by a sinfull life Secondly we are to take notice that seeing Iesus Christ is in the next place to God in administration and government so he is in honour not onely next unto God but also hath all at his command hee is the ruler and governour of this whole world and therefore will governe it for the good of the Church and of his people and one day thou shalt blesse God and bow thy knees and thanke him that hee hath put the government into his hands Rom. 8. 24. it is said that all things shall worke together for the best or good of them that love him the whole world shall winde and turne to his good if a man be a friend to God and love him there be number of strange turnings and motions in this world all which shall turne and winde unto the good of the Church as in a clocke there be some wheeles turne one way and some another way they being crosse and contrary one to the other and yet by the skilfull and cunning workeman they turne all to one end to make the clocke goe so in this world there be many strange turnings and motions that seeme to runne crosse and contrary one to the other yet by the skilfull workeman Iesus Christ all is carried to the good of the Church therefore great is the comfort that the Church may have by this for what shall the Church doe in the time of trouble runne to Christ and pray him to turne all
see in experience if a man have a weighty matter to try in the court of justice if he heare the chiefe of his counsell is become the Iudge hee that was his advocate and pleaded the matter a long time he hopes that it will goe well with him so wee have a weighty matter to try in the court of Heaven it concernes our life and salvation and Christ hee that was the chiefe of our counsell is become our Iudge he that was our advocate and pleaded our matter a long time before God this may give us comfort that it shall goe well with us Saint Ierome saith well the day shall come when the whole world shall weepe and waile and mourne and grieve when thou that art a Christian shalt bee glad and rejoyce when Plato and Aristotle and others shall say we did not know him and the Iewes we tooke him for a bare man the Gentiles we thought it silly to beeleeve in One that died upon the crosse and the cold Christians shall say wee have loved the world and have not regarded him then the true Christians shall comfortably say This is our Saviour and Redeemer this is our God and we have waited for him The third point the place where he shall judge us The place is to be considered two waies generally and particularly generally the place where wee shall bee judged is in this earth therefore wee say in the Articles of our Christian saith from thence hee shall come to judge both the quicke and the dead and Act. 11. 1. the Angels tell us that this Iesus which is taken from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him goe into heaven so also Iude 24. Henoch tels us that the Lord shall come with thousand of his Saints to give judgement against all men so that this world is the place of judgment and moreover I will prove it by these two reasons First because this is the ordinary course of Iustice for where men commit their offences in the same places they are judged as wee see in the same countries where men have done their faults there the Assises are kept so seeing we have sinned against God in this earth here wee shall be judged as 1 Sam. 7. 6. it is said Samuel went about yeare by yeare to Bethel Gilgal and Mizpeh and judged Israel in all those places Secondly because it is the fittest and meetest place for it it cannot bee in hell or in Heaven not in Heaven because the unjust cannot come there not in hell because the just cannot come thither as we see Luk. 16. 26. Abraham saith to Dives Betweene you and us there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us and therefore seeing they which are in heaven cannot come in hell and they which bee in hell cannot come to Heaven there must bee a middle place to judge the world in and that is this earth Now there be two uses to be made of this point 1. A terrour to the wicked 2. A comfort to the godly First it shall bee a terrour to the wicked to bee judged in the same place where they dishonored God and blasphemed his Name and where they have committed most grievous sinnes in the sight of their fine houses gallant gardens friends and acquaintance they shall bee judged if it were in a corner that no body should see them their griefe were the lesse or if it were in a farre country but seeing it shall bee in this world where they have sinned against God in the sight of their friends and acquaintance this shall be the greater terrour as Hest 7. 11. Haman was hanged on the gallowes which he had set up for Mordecai it had bin shame enough for him to have died in another place but to dye at his owne house in the sight of his wife and children servants and by the meanes of his goods this made his terrour the greater so the wicked shall be judged here in this world in the sight of their wives and children and in the sight of their friends and acquaintance this makes for the terrour of them Secondly comfort to the godly that in the same place where they have beene despised and and disgraced there they shall be honoured Iosephs honour was the greater that he was advanced in the same place where he was a poore slave therefore it shall be for the comfort of the godly that they shall be judged in the place where they have beene disgraced It was the manner of the Romans in their triumphs that they began in some private place without the city and thence went into every street till they came in the high and capitall streets so the people of God have their honour begun in this world whence the Lord doth carrie them thorough the clouds and firie region till hee bring them to the capitall street to heaven this is a great comfort to the godly where they have beene disgraced and despised there they be honoured SERMON XLIII ACTS 17. 3â— 3â— But now commandeth all men every where to repent Because hee hath appointed a day in the which hee will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained WEE spake the last day concerning the last judgement of the place where it shall be all Divines agree that the place in generall shall be on the earth not in heaven nor in hell nor in any remote place out of knowledge but in this earth where wee have passed our daies and where wee have sinned against God therefore according to our usuall phrase in the Creed it is said from thence he shall come David saith of his childe 2 Sam. 12. 23. I shall goe to him but he shall not returne to me but it is not a sure thing that wee shall goe first to Christ till he come to us So in generall we all agree that in this earth shall be erected a glorious throne for Iesus Christ to sit upon and to judge the whole world where we have lived and where wee have passed our daies where we have sinned and dishonoured God The Uses whereof were matter of terrour and matter of comfort which I handled then therefore I proceed To the particular In what place of the world men shall bee judged This is a thing uncertaine and the best Divines hold it cannot be determined out of the Scriptures in what place it shall be but onely by probability Therefore in things of this nature it is good to take Saint Pauls rule Rom. 12. 3. Sapere ad sobrietatem to thinke soberly not above what wee ought to thinke We should not prie and looke into Gods Arke that is into his secret Counsell more than is meete but wee must content our selves with things revealed as Genes 32. 13. Iaakob said of his sheepe that hee would not overdrive them lest they die so
there bee a number of men that overdrive their wits and bring them into an high straine and so make them die therefore a learned man saith well It is better not to judge of things secret and hidden than to strive and contend about them There be a number of Papists that do determine the place where it shall be though the best Divines hold it uncertaine and they bring Scripture for it too Some say that the place is the valley of Iehosaphat Ioel 3. 12. Let the World be wakened and come up to the valley of Iehosaphat for there will I sit to judge all the Heathen round about which words are spoken not of the last judgement but the meaning is that the Lord would judge the Amorits and the Ammonites wich were the enemies of the people of God in those times there the Lord would overthrow and destroy them and to prove it is not intended of the last judgement there be divers reasons First because he speakes by way of Allusion It is a Metaphor and a borrowed speech as wee may see by other places of the same Chapter as verse 18. And in that day shall the Mountaines droppe downe new wine and the hils shall flow with milke and all the Rivers of Iuda shall flow with waters and a Fountaine shall come forth of the house of the Lord and shall water the valley of Shittim Now as those words cannot stand in their literall sense but be Metaphoricall and are spoken by allusion onely so likewise is it in this place and therefore it cannot bee meant of the last judgement Secondly because bodies must have distance and place as Augustine saith Take away distance and place and then bodies are no bodies therefore it is not probable that the valley of Iehosaphat should hold all the bodies of all the men that have lived from the beginning of the World to the latter end of all ages in all the Countries and kingdomes of the world It is not possible they can stand all there to bee judged at the same time Thirdly the Schoolemen say it is probable that it should bee on Mount Olivet because Christ did ascend to Heaven from thence Now if it should be on the Mount Olivet it could not he in the valley of Iehosaphat because they bee a great distance one from the other as 2 Chron. 20. 20. we may see when Iehosaphat went out to warre he went to Tekoa which was sixe miles from Bethlehem and Bethlehem was sixe miles from Ierusalem and then the valley of Iehosaphat must needs many miles bee distant from Ierusalem so this opinion overthrowes the other But they say the valley of Iehosaphat was neere Ierusalem betweene the Mount of Olives and that but it cannot bee so because it is said 2 Chron. 20. 27. that Iehosaphat and the men of Ierusalem and Iuda returned home to Ierusalem from the valley So that it was many miles distant from Ierusalem whereas the Mount of Olives was neere for Christ sate on that Mount and did see men cast into the Treasury therefore the valley of Iehosaphat cannot be the place where the last judgement shall be Fourthly because the dsciples Luk. 17. when they heard Christ speake of the fearefull separation that shall be at the last day of judgement that there shall be two in the bed of whom the one shall be taken and the other refused two in the fields one refused and the other taken said unto him where Lord and he said unto them whersoever the dead Carkas is thither shall the Eagles resort Now if it had been set downe in the Scripture Christ would never have left it as uncertaine to his disciples when they did aske him of it So then it is manifest the particular place where Christ shall judge the World is uncertaine Now if men will not be contented with this but say there must bee a determined place where he shall judge the World which is like to be where he was borne planted the Gospell did preach and worke most of his miracles I must say for mine owne part I doe incline that way But whether it shall bee in Bethlehem where Christ was borne or upon Mount Olivet from whence Christ ascended or whether it shall bee on Mount Calvery where Christ was crucified or on Mount Tabor where Christ was transfigured I dare not determine for that is left uncertaine to us Now the Vse be made of it is that seeing the particular place is uncertaine therefore let us labour to bee joyned with Christ to lie with him in the Manger pray with him on the Mount fall downe by him in the Garden to goe with him to the Crosse to bee killed and crucified with him to descend into the Grave with him and to lay our bodies by him and our bones by his bones and to bee joyned with him and then as hee did rise himselfe our of the grave so hee will raise thee out of thy grave and thou shalt be gathered unto him by the hand of an Angell and brought unto him wheresover the place be Fourthly The time of the judgement For when we heare there shall be a judgement day then we make enquiry when it shall be It is a desire in nature to looke after it if once beleeved therefore not onely the wicked say where is the promise of his comming but his Disciples also Matth. 24. came unto him and asked him when the end of the world should be Augustine saith well All men that labour desire to know or to have an end of their labour Therefore as the husbandman casts with himselfe how many weeks it will be to Harvest The Merchant man how many daies to Returne The Traveller what time hee shall get to his Inne So a Christian that hath tooke paines to get Heaven cannot chuse but bee desirous to know when the end of the world shall be that he may have amend of his labour Now concerning the time of the last judgement I will lay downe these three conclusions 1. That the Time is certaine to God 2. That the Time is uncertaine to us 3. Although it hee uncertaine to us yet hee hath given us certaine Signes and Tokens of it First The Time is certaine to God which I will prove by Scripture and by Reason First by Scripture Matth. 24. 36. But of that time and houre cometh no man No not the Angels in heaven but my Father onely So Acts 17. 30. But now hee doth admonish all men every where to repent Because bee hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world so Revel 14. 7. the Angell saith Feare God and give glory to him for the houre of his judgement is come Therefore although we doe not know the certaine time yet God knoweth the day and houre when it shall be Secondly we will prove it by reason for looke what God hath done in any special and particular judgement that
safe so saith he Christ is this friend that commeth to a friends house hee sees that we lay up our treasures in this World where they will corrupt and come to nothing therefore he gives us this Counsell that wee should lay up our treasures in Heaven in an high loft where wee may bee sure they will be safe If any man here make a doubt and put this question What is there nothing but this world and the workes thereof that shall bee consumed and burnt I answere him from the same place of Peter not onely the earth and the workes thereof but the heavens shall melt with heate and the elements so much as is visible and sensible even those that are most true and regular and constant in their courses clockes may deceive us but these will not they be true in their courses and yet these shall melt with heare and shall passe and runne away from the presence of Christ Heere we may see the lothsomenesse of sinne that doth not rest in the center of the earth but goeth thorough the clouds and doth infect the ayre almost to the seate of God himselfe I would to God men would thinke of this when wee see a man strangely taken away by untimely death or a house on fire we thinke it strange but for the sinne of man God will destroy the heavens and the earth Wee see in the Law that if a man had the Leprosie upon him he should bee shut up and the wals of the house should bee scraped and if it brake out againe then the house should be pulled downe and the timber and the stones and the 〈◊〉 carried away that it might not infect the people Levit. 40. 41. so the Lord doth scrape us as it were by his judgements but because sinne breakes out still he will pull downe the house even destroy this whole world so that at the last day no man shall know his former house or his land to say here is my house or here is my land as Iob speakes When a man dyeth he knoweth neither house nor land Now heere another question may be demanded seeing the heaven and the earth shall be dissolved and burnt up what shall become of the people of God To this I answere out of the Apostle Pauls words where he tels us as a Mystery We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed 〈◊〉 is all shall not dye for those that bee alive or that bee living at Christs comming shall be changed from mortality to immortality this shall be their estate at that day the creatures appointed for the fire shall bee burned and the fire shall fall on the wicked but all the people of God shall be preserved as the three Children were in the firy furnace Hence we learne what a comfortable thing it will be when Gods people shall see all the world on a fire about them over their heads and under their feet but it shall not touch them Moses told the Children of Israel that the Lord would bring great plagues on the Egyptians which should not touch any of them so the Lord at the day of judgement will bring downe fire on the wicked and the ungodly which shall not touch any of the people of God howsoever they be set light by here not accounted of nor regarded yet at that day they shall see what a comfortable thing it is to be a Christian Thirdly seeing the heavens and the earth shall bee dissolved and burnt with fire let us labour to be found in Christ to be one of the people of God and then the Lord will worke strangely for us if a towne or a country should be on fire and there should be a little house of stone where whosoever could get into it should be preserved from the fire O how men would thr◠and throng thither Beloved Christ is as a little house of stone and whosoever is in him shall bee preserved from the fire when the fire shall fall on the wicked and ungodly and burne them then they that be in Christ shall bee safe from danger therefore every man should labour to be in Christ that so hee may be saved we see Phil. 3. the Apostle Paul saith that hee accompts of all things to bee but dung and drosse that he may be found of Christ so it should be with a Christian to esteeme all things but dung and drosse that he may be found in Christ let who will take the world with all the delights and pleasures thereof wee must labour to lay up our comfort in Christ and to make God our friend and then we shall bee preserved when this world shall be dissolved When the unjust steward in the Gospell knew his master would turne him out of his office hee made a friend with his masters goods so because we know not how soone the Lord may turne us out of our offices out of our dwellings therefore let us labour to make God our friend and then it shall goe well with us howsoever SERMON XLV 2 PETER 3. 13. Neverthelesse wee according to his promise looke for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse THe last day wee began to speake of the actions that belong to the great day of judgement and then we discoursed at large of the first of them which is the burning up of the whole world and dissolution of the whole frame of nature together with the severall uses and instructions that did arise therefrom now therefore to avoid further repetition I will proceed to the actions following The second action is the renewing of Heaven and earth for as soone as this world is dissolved by the power of Christ it shall bee renewed againe as you see it is said in the words read unto you But we looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth Righteousnesse The people of God they know this though the men of the world bee blinded as birds are blinded with snow but we that be Christians know it and looke for it as a promise from God as Esai 65. 17. For loe I will create a new Heaven and a new Eart◠and the former shall not bee remembred and to put it out of all doubt Saint Iohn saw it Revel 21. 1. so then it is plaine by the Scripture that wee shall have a new Heaven and a new Earth But how shall it bee new I answer not in regard of substance but in regard of quality whence we see the reason why the creatures are said to groane Rom. 8. 22. that is they have a kinde of longing or desire to have this time come when they shall be set at liberty by this renewing brought into as glorious a state as they were in before they were brought under the bondage of sin Psal 102. 26. it is said The heavens shall bee changed as a vesture c. whereupon one saith well
lords of this earth though they stay not there Thirdly the Earth shall bee renewed in regard of the wicked that they may the more sensibly see what a deale of glory their sins have deprived them of they shall not come into heaven to see that for Revel 21. it is said No uncleane thing shall come there therefore the Earth shall be renewed that by it they may have a glance of Heaven and a slash of the glory that shall bee in Heaven as it were through a Crevis that so it might bee a further vexation to them We read 2 Kings 7. 9. when there was great plenty of victuals and other things foretold by the Prophet which the Prince there would not beleeve the Prophet saith to him Thou shalt see it with thine eyes but thou shalt not taste thereof so it shall be unto the wicked surely not without great anguish and terrour when they shall see the Earth renewed and themselves to have no part in it Now the Vses hereof may be First seeing there shall be a new Heaven and a new Earth wee should labour to be new Creatures because none but such dwell in this new Heaven and new Earth For the Text saith Wee looke for a new Heaven and a new Earth according to his promise wherein dwels righteousnesse that is righteous men such as bee renewed by the Spirit and grace of God Here in this World there is a mixture of good and bad together as in Adams house Cain and Abel in Abrahams Ishmael and Iacob and amongst Christs Disciples Iohn and Iudas But in this new Heaven and Earth there shall dwell never a wicked man therefore labour thou whosoever thou art to be renewed by the Spirit of Grace and to repent thee of thy sinnes to returne unto God and thou shalt have thy part in this new Heaven and new Earth for evermore Secondly that seeing the Heaven and the Earth shall be renewed there is never a wicked man that can claime or challenge a foote of it to himselfe here in this world they may have hundreds and thousands of Acres of Land they may say in such and such a place I have so much land here is the Patrimonie that my Father gave me here is that which I did purchase Oh but in the new World they cannot claime a foote of it Therefore they may see what a faire threed they have spun to deprive themselves of all their lands even such as have had great revenewes here of the old Earth shall not have a foote of this new Earth It is reported by some Historians of a certaine Nation that every yeere did elect and chuse themselves a king who had as goodly attendance as might bee rich apparell and all things fit and meete for a king but when the yeere was expired they did turne him naked into an Iland where hee did endure extreame misery Now there was one of them who was wiser than the rest that had closely and secretly before his yeere was expired conveyed into this Iland rich apparell and servants to attend on him and had builded him a house and sent all things fitte and meete for him thither beforehand so that when his yeere was expired and they had turned him into this Iland naked he having provided for himselfe before was not distressed The truth of this I stand not to discusse but the morall I am sure may be profitable for this Kingdome is a Type and figure of this World where there bee a number of men that have all things that their hearts can desire but when death commeth then they are turned as it were into a wast Wildernesse naked there to endure extreeme misery and therefore it must bee our wisedome to doe as the wise kings did every day to send something before and to provide comfortably for our selves that when we are turned out of this World wee may have comfort in the World to come Thirdly seeing there shall be a new Heaven and Earth this may bee a comfort to poore Christians that though they have but a small portion here in this World yet they may have a great portion of the new Heaven and Earth if they please God and walke conscionably before him as Revel 21. 7. It is said Hee that overcommeth shall inherit all things c. What is that which he shall inherit Saint Iohn tels us that hee saw a new Heaven and a new Earth namely the things that are spoken of before To him that overcommeth that is To him who can overcome his lusts his sinnes and his corruptions and is not carried away with the bad examples of the World the new Heaven and Earth shall bee for a possession as Dauid doth acknowledge with thankfulnesse to God that hee had given unto him the Land of Canaan much more should wee acknowledge with thankefulnesse that the Lord hath assigned to us a Celestiall Canaan therefore comfort you your selves O yee holy people of God in this that you shall have your parts in the New Heaven and new Earth It is this that which Paul saith Eye hath not seene nor Eare heard nor Tongue is able to expresse the great joyes that God hath prepared for them that love him as The Queene of the South when shee came and heard the wisedome of Salomon said The one halfe was not told her which she found So the holy people of God they shall say that good people did not tell them the one halfe of the joy and comfort that they shall finde therefore beware you doe not â—ell this for toyes and trifles for what a comfort shall it be when Christ shall looke out of the Clouds and hee shall say unto the Godly Come yee blessed of my Father receive the kingdome prepared for you when he shall chase and drive all the wicked to Hell and shall say unto them Goe ye cursed of my Father into everlasting fire prepared for the Divell and his Angels And here let every one of us be exhorted to repent his sinnes for now is the time yet the gate is not shut Hereafter thou if thou now refusest thou shalt not inherit with the people of God but mayest with the foolish Virgins knocke too late when Heavens gates shall for ever be shut upon thee SERMON XLVI MATTHEVV 24. 30 31. And then shall appeare the signe of the Sonne of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourne and they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great glory And he shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other HEretofore yee have heard of the two Acts considered in the manner of the last judgement First The burning of the whole World Secondly The renewing of the Heaven and the Earth whence at this present wee are to proceed
the Mount was but a type and figure of the glory that shall be on Christ at the day of judgement and this glory and brightnesse that shall appeare before his comming I take to be the signe of the Sonne of Man Thirdly what the effects shall bee of the signe of the Sonne of man and surely fearefull shall they bee to the wicked and comfortable to the godly for when the signe of the Sonne of man shall appeare then all the wicked shall mourne weepe and cry out of their sinnes that they have not loved Christ but despised him have not obeyed his Lawes but contemned and set light by them therefore it will bee a fearefull time to the wicked but to the godly it shall bee great comfort for Christ telleth the Iewes Matth. 23. 29. Ye shall see me no more till that ye say Blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord the very reprobate shall say these be the happy and blessed men howsoever wee have hated and despised them O that wee had lived as they did then wee should have beene happy too I have instanced often before in the example of Ioseph Gen. 45. 5. and because it is apt to the purpose I cannot passe it at this present for when Ioseph did discover himselfe to his brethren thren they were abashed and ashamed because their conscience told him that they had betrayed and sold him for a slave before nay some of them would have killed him if they had loved him and used him well then it might have beene a comfort to them when he did discover himselfe and say I am your brother Ioseph so I say of Christ what a terrour will it be to the wicked and ungodly because they have despised and condemned him if they had used him well they might have had comfort at his appearing wee read likewise 2 Sam. 2. 22. when Asahel prest upon Abner Abner said to him depart from me wherefore should I smite thee to the ground how then shall I bee able to hold up my face to Ioab thy brother so when wee shall sinne and offend Christ how shall wee hold up our faces at that day So then we see it shall be a terrour to the wicked and to such as have not repented them of their sinnes but unto the godly Christs comming shall be greatly comfortable as Augustine saith we see in reason if two men should be beyond sea and their lord and master should send for them the one to bee honoured for his good service the other to be punished for his offences though it may bee they both come home in one sâ—ip eate at one table lye in one bed arrive at one haven and come to one place yet their thoughts would be diverse for the one would thinke now is the time that I shall bee honoured for my good service therefore it is a comfortable time to him the other would thinke now is the time that I shall be punished for my offences therefore it must be a time of discomfort to him this is the direct case betweene the godly and the wicked that they may eate at one table lye in one bed dye all one kinde of death and yet their thoughts bee divers for the godly they shall rejoyce when that time commeth because they shall bee honoured and advanced and it shall bee a terrour to the wicked because they shall be punished for their offences as Iohn 20. when Christ appeared to Mary being grieved and dejected for the losse of him and said Mary she turned about and said Rabboni Master as if shee should say I am glad that I have found thee Heaven and earth could not make her so glad as she was when she found Christ so when a Christian hath looked out at his windowes and doores to see Christ many a time and at last shall see him come in glory and breaking the clouds and comming to Iudgement he may say as Mary did Rabbâ—ni Master I am glad to have found thee so they may say O Lord Iesus art thou come Thou art Hee that I have longed for a long time and blessed be God that this day is come therefore seeing Christians are desirous of Christs comming this should teach them to prepare for it we see a loving wife in the absence of her husband when she lookes for his returne shee will trimme up her house garden and walkes to have all things handsome so wee that bee Christians when we heare that Christ will come we must trimme up our houses that is our hearts and our consciences and make all fit to entertaine Christ Having declared the signes that goe before and also such as joyne with the comming of Christ wee proceede to the next thing which is the manner of his comming and that is glorious attended on by Angels hee shall come in the greatest glory that Heaven and Earth can afford There is great difference betweene the first and the second comming of Christ His first comming was base and meane contemned and despised of all sorts of men and wee see how unkindly hee was used at the hands of men in that they condemned him the Souldiers set a crowne of Thornes on his head they did mocke at him buffet him and crucifie him and why Because hee was apparelled and clothed with our sins which may teach us that the noblest and greatest one that is if sinne be upon him it will disgrace and put him downe therefore as Christ did cast away sinne and did put it off and then entred into glory so wee must labour to doe as Christ did to put off sinne to kill it to make a grave for it and to bury it and then as Christ comes in glory so wee shall come in glory also But if we do not put off sin nor cast the filthy ragges of it from us Christ will come in glory and wee fall to shame disgrace and contempt Now in the manner of Christs comming to judgement we may observe three things 1. How he shall come in glory 2. Wherein this glory consists 3. What Benefit we shall have by it First how he shall come it shall be in glory as we have heard a little before so also it is said Matth. 16. 27. For the Sonne of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then shall hee give to every man according to his deeds and againe Luke 9. 26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Sonne of Man be ashamed when hee shall come in his glory and in the glory of his Father and of the holy Angels So then Christ shall come in all the glory that Heaven and Earth can afford and therefore it is manifest there is great difference betweene his first comming and his second comming For his first comming was in the estate of humilitie he was despised and rejected of men Hee was a man full of
Dragon that old Serpent which is the Divell and Satan and he bound him a thousand yeeres and cast him into the bottomlesse pit and he shut him up and sealed the doore upon him c. Thus we see it is Christ that is this Angell that hath the key of Hell in his hand to shut up the Divell and the damned and the wicked into Hell so that there shall not be left a Devill nor a wicked man nor any of the damned to annoy or hurt any good man So Matth. 15. 41. The Sonne of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdome all things that offend and them which doe iniquitie Now in this world in the most sanctified Church and best reformed there is a number of disorders and corruptions that doth trouble toyle and offend the People of God but at the last day every thing that offends shall bee taken away the Divell the Damned and Wicked men shall bee shut into Hell so that a dogge as it were shall not so much as moove his tongue at one of Gods People Secondly the wicked shall not onely bee shut into Hell but Christ hath a key also to open Heaven and to let in the godly as Iohn 14. 3. He saith to his Disciples I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there may you be also So when he hath locked up the wicked and ungodly in Hell then hee will make a way to Heaven and open it to his Servants as 2 Kings 10. 15. When Iehu had slaine Ahabs seventie sons and Ahaziahs brethren and the blood was yet warme upon his hands meeting with a good man Iehonadah the sonne of Rechab He blessed him and said unto him Is thine heart upright as mine is towards thine and Iehonadab answered It is If it be give me thine hand and he gave him his hand and tooke him into his Chariot so the Lord will doe when hee hath chased all the wicked to Hell and the blood of them is yet warme as it were on his hands meeting with a good man he will say You are a good man your heart is upright then he will take him up into his Chariot that is into Heaven so God will honour all his servants Thus a Thes 1. 10. it is said That he will come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marvellous in all them that beleeve Hee will not account himselfe glorified till hee hath glorified his Saints therefore he will not be onely glorious in himselfe but he will also make his Saints glorious The Uses are First seeing Christ communicates his glory to his Saints therefore they should comfort themselves with the hope of this that one day there will bee a time of glory howsoever they are kept downe here in this world with many crosses and afflictions so Col. 3. 3. it is said Yee are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God there is a life in a Christian and that a glorious one too though the world cannot see it because it is hid in Christ yet it is truely in him as the beauty and life of the flower lieth hid in the roote all the winter-time so the life of a Christian and his glory lies hid in Christ but when he commeth then he shall be perspicuous then his glory shal appeare When Christ came before Pilate he asked him if he were a King sure he thought him but a poor king Christ answeres My kingdome is not of this world so a Christian may say in all his disgraces my kingdome is not of this world but is above the clouds a kingdome of glory and happinesse Chrysostome saith in this world is the place of conflict and combate therefore we must looke for nothing but blowes wounds and blood but when the combate is at an end then we may looke for crownes and rewards therefore wee may comfort our selves in the hope of this that one day we shall have glory Secondly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints all true Christians have good cause to long for his comming the wicked care not how long it bee ere hee come the longer hee tarries they thinke it the better O but the people of God they care not how soone he come because it is the better for them for when he comes they shall have glory therefore Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. that the creatures groane and the Saints groane desiring and longing when this time of glory will be as Iob 14. 14. saith he If a man dye shall he rise againe all the daies of my appointed time will I waite till my change come c. So Christians looke and waite for a change from mortality to immortality from an estate of humility to an estate of glory therefore they desire and long for Christs comming as Sisera's mother did waite and long for Sisera Iudg. 5. 28. where it is said The mother of Sisera looked out at a window and shee did cry out at the latise why is his chariot so long a comming and why tarrieth the wheeles of his chariot so the people of God long for Christs comming and when they looke out of their doores and windowes they may say O when will Christ come in his glory that wee may be glorified with him Thirdly seeing that Christ communicates his glory to his Saints and to his people doe thou labour to be one of them and it will be a comfortable day to thee therefore David saith Psal. 119. ult I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant for I have not forgot thy Commandements as if he should say I have gone astray I have beene a sinner but Lord seeke me and make me one of thy servants so a Christian may say with the holy father Bernard O Lord Iesus make me one of thy servants and receive mee and as thou tookest away the sinnes of thy people so doe thou now take away mine and Lord breede conscience and care in me that when thou glorifiest thy Saints I may be glorified with them there be many masters strive for my service as pride vaine-glory and covetousnesse but I strive against them all and I renounce them and bid farewell to them for I will bestow my love only on thee Christ shall be my king he shall be my Lord and Master and so when he comes in glory I shall have glory with him SERMON XLVII MATTHEW 24. 30 31. And they shall see the Sonne of Man comming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory And Hee shall send His Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet and they shall gather together His Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other WEE heard the last day that Christ shall come in glory to judge the whole world before hee came in the estate
stand before God in this great assembly therefore labour thou to repent of thy sinnes and to get faith in Christ and to be prepared for that day I would to God I could perswade you a little to sequester your thoughts from the world and to thinke of the day of the Lord that all men shall bee gathered together before the Lord and arraigned to give an accompt of all his actions that he hath done how would this worke on our hearts to lay up comfort for that day Esai 10. 3. The Prophet demands What shall yee doe now in the day of your visitation and of destruction so the wicked may say what shall we doe at that day when we shall be convicted and found haters of God despisers of good things contemners of religion and deceivers of our neighbours so the consideration of this might make every one to be prepared for it Thus we see that not onely the elect shall be gathered but the wicked also Secondly by whom they shall bee gathered by the Angels Now the Angels doe service to us first when we be living secondly when wee bee dead thirdly at the day of judgement First they doe us service whilst wee are living they attend us and carry us in their hands as it is said Psal 91. For hee shall give his Angels charge over thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes they shall beare thee in their hands that thou hurt not thy foote against a stone so Psal 34. 7. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him and delivereth them Secondly at the day of death they bee round about our houses attend our chambers and our sicke beds and when wee are dead they carry our Soules into Heaven as we may see Luke 16. in the story of Lazarus Thirdly they doe us srvice at the day of judgement to open our graves to digge and pull away the mould and to conduct and carry us into the presence of Christ therefore doe thou labour to bee a servant of Christ and to feare God and the Angels shall not only attend thee while thou livest here but shall digge thee out of thy grave and take away the moulds and shall conduct and bring thee into the presence of Christ as Acts 12. when Peter was in prison the Angell came and opened the prison doore and there was a light did shine round about him and he smote off his fetters and chaines and led him into the streets of the Citie so the Angels shall do to the godly at the day of judgement they shall open their graves which is a Prison and shall knocke off the Gives of mortalitie a light shall shine round about them and they shall take them by the hand as it were and lead them from countrey to countrey till they come at the presence of Christ to the new Ierusalem to enjoy fellowship with God and his blessed Angels Thirdly to whom we shall be gathered To Christ first as to the Head and then one to another as to the members First wee shall bee gathered to Christ our Head there shall not one of his members bee wanting which may be a great comfort to all Christians for this is that they desire that all their praiers they conceive all the Sermons they heare all their labours and paines tend to it is the center of their desires for this they sigh and long to bee gathered home to their Head Iesus Christ So Phil. 1. Paul desireth to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ though it be with the losse of life or goods he was contented Gen. 45. 1. wee see when Ioseph and his brethren met together what joy there was Ioseph did weepe on his brethrens neckes and they on his so when Christ and his members meete O what joy there shall bee at the day of judgement they shall not weepe one upon anothers necke but there shall be joy unspeakeable and glorious Secondly they shall be gathered one to another as to members though they live now in diverse Countreyes and Kingdomes in diverse Townes and Houses and by reason of some corruptions it may be wee may have little comfort one of another yet at the day of judgement all shall meete together againe and then we shall rejoyce in the company of each other then we shall meet with all the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles Martyrs Confessors and all our godly friends and acquaintance that ever wee knew came of or heard of wee see when friends have beene absent a long time one from another and meete together againe how welcome are they one to another and how doe they rejoyce in the company of each other So at the day of judgement when we shall meete with our godly friends and acquaintance that have beene absent from us a long time what joy and comfort will there bee Wee see also when friends meete together at a Feast what joy there is one with another O but there shall be greater joy at the day of judgement when all the godly meete together and when every mans joy shall bee our joy So it shall bee a comfortable assembly to bee gathered to Christ and one Christian to another wee see here on Earth when Christians are met together to pray and conferre and to sing Psalmes what joy and comfort is there and yet there is many times meanes of discontentment but when all weaknesse shall be at an end and all imperfections shall cease much more joy and comfort in Heaven shall wee take one in another Therefore if wee have any wit in our heads or grace in our hearts let every one of us labour to be one of Gods people to be a member of Christ and then we shall bee gathered first to Christ our Head and then to one another as fellow-members Now we shall not only be aggregated and gathered together but there shall be also a separation for all the World shall be divided into two flockes or Heards the Sheepe shall be set at the right hand and the Goats at the left and they shall bee separated as a Shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates who although they feede all the day long in one pasture drinke all of one water and are refreshed all under one shaddow yet when the night commeth hee gathereth the Sheepe into the Fold and leaves the Goates to bee devoured of the Wolves so the Lord Iesus Christ shall separate the good from the bad howsoever they lived together here in this world may sit all at one table and lie in one bed yet when the day of judgement comes hee will gather his sheepe into his fold and leave the wicked to be tormented with the Divell Now in this separation we observe three things 1 That there shall be a separation 2 The Time when it shall be 3 Who shall be separated First there shall bee a separation of the good from the bad by
thing at his hand it is the doctrine of their owne Schoole-men that a sinner cannot merit but we bee all sinners against God therefore we cannot merit any thing Now that we bee all sinners it is plaine by the Scriptures Iob 9. 3. If be would dispute with him hee could not answer him one of a thousand So Lament 3. 22. It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed c. Saint Ierome saith Who is it that hath not sinned and if a man hath broken but one of the Commandements hee is guilty of the whole Law therefore no man can merit any thing at Gods hands The fourth ground is a disproportion betweene our workes and Gods justice For merits are grounded on Commutative justice as they say and Aristotle saith That commutative justice is equally to give weight for weight so much for so much but there is no proportion betweene our works and Gods justice for Saint Paul saith that all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed to us Rom. 8. 18. One saith well if a man should suffer all the sufferings that the people of God had done from Adam till this present time having all the vertues of the holy men yet he were not worthy of the glory of heaven if a man should live a thousand yeeres and spend them all religiously hee did not deserve to be in heaven halfe an houre To this the Papists have devised a subtill answer say they It is in justice that God should give heaven to the best men not by a proportion so much for so much but because God will bestow heaven on some body therefore it stands with the justice of God rather to bestow it on the godly than on the wicked I answer this is sophisticall that tels us it is justice that God should give heaven to some body but what justice is it it is not to give so much for so much weight for weight It is not commutative but distributive justice and therefore there is a disproportion betweene our workes and Gods justice Againe the Papists are overthrowne in their owne argument for they say it was commutative justice not by an Arithmeticall but a Geometricall proportion I answer commutative justice to give weight for weight so much for so much is not that but it is according to distributive justice not by Arithmeticall but by a Geometricall proportion seeing he must give heaven to give it to the best men So the answer of the Papist is sophisticall Now in these words are foure things to bee observed 1. That the Iudgement at the last day shall passe according to workes 2. That good workes shall be reported and rewarded 3. That they shall workes of mercy 4. That they shall bee such workes of Mercy as are done to Christians because they are Christians First The Iudgement at the last day shall be according to works Therefore looke what our workes be such shall be the judgement that shall passe on us So Rom. 2. 6. saith the Apostle Who will reward every man according to his workes So also Revel 20. 18. it is said And they were judged every man according to their workes And Matth. 12. 36. saith Christ But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speake they shall give account thereof at the day of Iudgement So then the judgement shall passe according to works but mistake me not I doe not say according to the merit of our workes for we deserve nothing but according to the qualitie of our workes Saint Gregory shewes out of Psal 7. It is one thing that God should render for a mans workes and another thing to render according to mans workes If God render according to a mans workes then it will bee well for good workes and evill for evill workes I but here a question may be made seeing wee shall be judged according iâ— workes what shall faith doe then I answere Faith is all in all for Faith is proposed as the price of our Redemption to the Iustice of God because we are saved by Faith And Acts 18. 31. it is said Beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saved and thy houshold and Ephes 2. 6. the Apostle saith by Grace are ye saved through Faith not of your selves And so 1 Pet. 1. 9. Receiving the end of your Faith even the Salvation of your soules So then we are saved by Faith In summe there bee two speciall properties in Faith First It makes us the sheepe of Christ it gathers us to him and sets us at his right hand and moreover it makes us of the Sonnes of Adam the Sonnes of God this is the power of Faith Secondly It makes our worke acceptable before God as Heb. 11. it is said By Faith Abel offered a greater sacrifice than Caine so Faith makes our workes acceptable before God I but seeing wee are saved by Faith why is there no mention of it then I answere because there shall bee a declaration of the just judgement of God Now Faith is secret in the heart of a Man and workes bee open therefore a man shall not bee judged by the secret and hidden graces that is in his heart but by the Effects and Fruits which are open and manifest to the World The use is that seeing wee shall bee judged according to the fruites and not to the secret graces that are in us therefore wee must joyne to our faith good workes for looke what our workes be such shall bee the verdict that shall passe upon at that day therefore Iames 2. saith he O man shew me thy faith by thy workes Thou sayest thou hast faith and thou talkest of faith but let mee see it let it appeare in thy life and conversation joyne good life to it and so Luke 5. 20. it is said that Christ saw their faith and he healed them Hee did not onely see with the eyes of his Divinitie but hee saw their faith by the effects and fruits of it for they laid the sicke man on a bed and did breake through the roofe of the house and let him downe to Christ Therefore as one saies well it is faith that is seene and visible that saveth us not that which is secret and close in the heart but it must bee visible shewed by workes Gen. 27. Isaac would not blesse Iaakob by the voyce or by his speech but hee feeles and handles him and when hee found they were Esaus hands he blessed him so Christ will not blesse Christians by the voyce when they shall say I am a Christian I am a professor but he will handle them and feele them If hee finde their hands to be Esaus hands that is his beloveds hands that they have done good and have beene open to the poore Saints and ready to minister to their necessities then the Lord will blesse them and entertaine them into his
love and most difficult Now since all our good workes shall be remembred and more especially our workes of mercie Therefore it is a good thing for a man to feede the hungrie to cloth the naked to visit the sicke and let us meditate with our selves in this case as David said 2 Sam. 7. 2. I dwell in a house of Cedar and the Arke of God remaines within curtaines so we should say I dwell in a goodly house and many of Gods people have not a house to put their heads in I lie in a soft bed when many of them have not a bed to lie on I have good food when they have not a bit of bread to eate So then it is a good thing for a man to go out of himselfe to consider the wants of other and to shew mercy to them especially at this time because God hath beene mercifull unto us in giving us seasonable times to inne the fruits of the earth to our comfort and giving to us the appointed weekes of the harvest as Ierem. 5. and giving of us strength to undergoe our labours we see Numb 31. 49. when the captaines had beene at warre and were returned home againe they muster their men and finde not a man lost therefore they bring an offering and offer it to the Lord in thankefulnesse for it so we should doe every one looke into his family and number his men and when hee sees that there is not one of them hath miscarried but that he hath his number still give thankes to God for it and as God hath beene mercifull to us so to bee mercifull to our brethren I but some will say I am a poore man and cannot feede the hungry cloath the naked nor as Christ speaketh doe any great matter what shall I doe I answer that the least and smallest matter that is done in true love to Christ shall not want his reward if it be but a draught of drinke or visite of the sicke so Christ shewes Matth. 10. 42. And whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water to drinke onely in the name of a Disciple verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward so we see Luk. 21. the poore widdow that cast into the treasurie but two mites was more accepted than them that cast in of superfluitie it is not the great quantitie that is accepted but with what affection for the smallest thing done Christ will accept if it be done in love Exod. 35. we see the people brought gold and silver and brasse and silke ramskins and goates haire and so forth for the building of the Tabernacle Origen saith well on that place Grant Lord saith he that I may bee found to bring something to the building of thy Temple that I may bee found to being a little gold to make the mercy-seate on or the Arke or to make the candlestick or a little silver to make the pillars on or a little brasse to make the bosses on or a little silke to make the curtaines on a little goates haire that so I may not be found empty to have brought nothing to the building of thy spirituall Temple So what a griefe may it be at that day when Christ shall say here is the gold silver brasse silke or the goats haire that such a man and such a woman brought and I shall be found to bring nothing what a shame and what a griefe I say will this bee therefore will I ever beseech God to give me the grace that I may be found able to bring something and bestow it on Gods spirituall house that it may bee a comfort to me at that day and let every man be exhorted to doe what they can out of true love to God and compassion to his poore members and no question it shall bee accepted though it be but a little goates haire wee see Math. 21. when Christ rode to Ierusalem every man was ready to doe him service and honor some strowed their garments in the way some cut downe boughs and branches to make way for his comming so doe thou if thou have not changes of garments to strow yet cut downe a boughe or some little branch bestow something on Christ on the Church of God on his poore Saints people and God will accept it for as it is 1 Cor. 8. if there be but a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that which hee hath not therefore let men doe what they are able and God will accept of it though it be but a little Fourthly the judgement that shall passe upon us at the day of judgement shall bee of such workes of mercy as are done to Christians because they are Christians it is good thing to doe good to all as Salomon saith Eccl. 11. cast thy bread on the waters for after many dayes thou shalt finde it though it seeme to thee to be lost and to bee cast away yet thou shalt finde it againe But especially doe good to Christians because they be Christians as it is Gal. 6. 9. doe good to all especially to the houshold of faith and so Rom. 12. 13. the Apostle exhorts to distribute to the necessities of the Saints for that which is done to the Saints is done to Christ himselfe thus 2 Sam. 9. David makes inquirie if none of the house of Saul was left for Ionathan was dead unto whom hee could shew no kindnesse therefore hee makes inquiry to see if any of his race were left that hee might shew kindnesse to them for Ionathans sake so Christ is in heaven wee cannot bestow our bread or our cloth on him O but there are a number of his brethren and servants here in want and in need these wee must feede cloath and shew kindnesse to for Christs sake againe though we are to doe good to all yet especially to Christians because they are Christians for there is such a neere conjunction betweene Christ and Christians that their wants hee takes to bee his wants their injuries and wrongs to bee as done to him Therefore one saith well that Christ takes all the injuries and wrongs that are done to his servants as if they were done to himselfe as Acts 9. Saul persecuted the Church and Christ cries out of heaven Saul Saul why persecutes thou mee Saul kicked at the foote and the head cries out of heaven why dost thou persecute mee such a neere conjunction there is betweene Christ and his members that all the injuries and wrongs that are done to them are accounted as done to Christ and all their wants to bee his wants Therefore tell me O man or woman if Christ should hang on the crosse and crie out and say I thirst what wouldst thou doe Let him thirst still nay wouldest thou not rather bring him wine or milke to comfort him this is the same case still for when a
died for us as Saint Paul saith Rom. 5. 8. It was love and a great love too that made Iaakob serve seven yeeres for a wife in Syria which hee thought nothing much more it was love and great love in Christ that hee would be contented to bee borne in a Stable to bee laid in a Manger to sweat blood and water in the garden to die that accursed death of the crosse and to bee laid in the ground for us all which Christ accounts as nothing so we may be saved and brought home to God Esay 53. 11. it is said He shall see the travell of his soule and shall be satisfied so we may be saved and brought home to God this will satisfie Christ he will thinke all his paines as nothing Secondly Christ hath made declaration of his Love in that he doth wash away our sins from day to day in his blood for whereas nothing in this world can wash away our sins but his blood it hath pleased him to dippe a handkerchiefe as it were in his blood to wipe away our sinnes this is another evidence that he loveth us as Revel 1. 5. it is said that he hath loved us and washed away our sins in his blood therefore whosoever doth not feele his soule and conscience to be cleansed and the blood of Christ to eate out the venome of his sinne Christ hath not declared his love unto him as yet in any comfortable manner Thirdly Christ declares his love to the Church in that hee sends love tokens unto her which are the gifts and graces of his Spirit A loving husband if hee bee in a farre Countrie will send love tokens to his wife there is never a messenger that comes but he will send some Iewell or peece of gold so Christ doth to his Church send love tokens from day to day as Ephes 4. 8. it is said When he ascended up on high he led captivitie captive and gave gifts unto men so when he came at the highest top of glory hee did not forget his poore Church but sent gifts to it as Acts 2. 35. it is said Since then that he by the right hand of God hath beene exalted and hath received of his Father the Holy Ghost hee hath shewed forth this which you now see and heare This is a plaine evidence that his heart is upon us and that he doth not onely love us but makes declaration of his love that we may see and feele it from day to day Hence we may inferre though Christians bee despised in the eyes of the world and not regarded yet they be deare in the eyes of Christ he regardeth and loveth them Wee see a good wife if her husband love her shee cares not who hates her so her husband bee pleased shee cares not who is displeased so it should bee with a Christian if Christ love him hee should not care though the world hate him so Christ be pleased hee need not care who be displeased with him Secondly seeing the Church is the Spouse and Body of Christ therefore he will richly indue the Church Wee see when a man marrieth with a woman the marriage deeds be made he gives her an interest in his lands and indowes her with his goods so Christ doth indue the Church with his righteousnesse holinesse with his merits Thus Phil. â— 9. Paul desireth that he might be found in Christ that is not having his owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is through faith in Christ So also 1 Cor. 1. 30. saith the Apostle But yee are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that according as it is written Hee that rejoyceth let him rejoyce in the Lord this is another comfort to a Christian that though he be poore in himselfe yet he shall be rich in Christ If a poore Maid marry with a rich Husband though her father left her nothing nor never a friend yet she thinkes her selfe well provided for so though we bee poore in our selves our father Adam having left us nothing but sinne yet if weâ— can marry with Christ hee will richly indow us with all his Graces Thirdly seeing the Church is the Spouse and the Bride of Christ therefore hee will adorne it with all his graces It is said Esai 61. 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord and my soule shall bee joyfull in my God for he hath cloathed mee with the garments of salvation and covered mee with the Robe of Righteousnesse hee hath decked me as a Bridegroome and as a Bride tireth her self with her Iewels And to the same effect wee read Revel 19. 8. unto her was granted that shee should bee arayed with pure fine linnen and shining for the fine linnen is the Righteousnesse of Saints so then the Lord will not leave the Church naked but will beautifie and adorne it with his graces therefore wee must labour to feele this and see it for if our conscience shall tell us that wee are naked not having one grace of his Spirit then wee doe not belong to him for without this golden garment of Christs righteousnesse wee shall not bee set at the right hand of Christ as it is Psal 45. 9. but as long as wee bee naked and have not this golden garment on wee doe not belong to Christ for if wee did hee would adorne and beautifie us with all his graces in some measure Fourthly seeing the Church is the bodie and spouse of Christ therefore hee will discharge the Churches duties A woman that is in debt when she is maried to a man all her debts are devolved unto her Husband she shall not answer the debt but her husband because shee is under his covert so the Church shall not answer for her debts but Christ shall as 1 Pet. 2. 24. it is said Who his own selfe bare our sinnes in his own bodie on the tree and Rom 8. 3. saith the Apostle for that which was unpossible to the law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinnefull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh Therefore seeing Christ hath discharged our debt and tooke it upon him it is a comfort to the Church that they shall not answere for it Hence wee may learne that when the Divell shall impleade us for our sinnes and debts wee must not deny the debt and say it is not so but answer him wee bee not the parties that are loiable to the Law but hee must goe to our he band Christ hee hath taken our debt upon him and will answere whatsoever can be required of us To make this plaine as wee reade 2 King 4. there was a poore Widow that was impleaded for her debt who comes to the Prophet and tels him of it Hee askes her what shee had
because the Scripture is the Word of God it is the highest Iudge Aquinas saith whosoever bringeth a letter from one it is as if he brought the party so when we bring Gods Word for a thing it is as if wee should bring God because it is the voyce of God who is the highest Iudge of all therefore although a kingdome and a country should command us to doe such and such things if the Word of God condemne it we must not doe it Gen. 3. When the devill came to the Woman to tempt her to eate of the forbidden fruite saith shee God hath said wee shall not eate of it so a Christian should doe when hee meets with temptations and is tempted to sinnes he must say God hath said I must not lye deceive prophane the Sabboth be drunken I must not misspend my time because God hath forbidden it therefore I must not doe it Thirdly seeing the Scripture is the Word of God wee must take heed wee doe not neglect it because it comes from God and is the voyce of God that saith feare God love your brethren live in charity one with another walke holily and christianly repent of your sinnes therefore we must respect the voyce of God as it is 1 Thes 4. he therefore that despiseth these things despiseth not man but God therefore seeing God hath said Pray continually in all things give thankes wee must take heed wee doe not despise the Word of God Fourthly seeing the Scripture is the Word of God therefore this will direct us in the dangerous passages of this world as Psal 119. saith David thy Word is a lanthorne unto my feet and a light unto my path so Matth. 2. when the Wisemen went to seeke Christ there was a starre appeared unto them which they followed till it brought them to the house whereas Christ was such a starre is the Bible the holy Scripture if wee follow it it will not leave us till it bring us to Christ Saint Basil saith it is the manner of Marriners when they bee at Sea to direct themselves in their voyage safe home by casting their eyes up to Heaven in the day looking to the Sunne and in the night to some bright starre so must thou doe if thou wilt goe safe to heaven looke to the Word of God and hold to it that it may be a direction to thee let not thine eyes slumber nor sleepe but follow on till thou come to a joyfull beholding of God in Christ and all the holy Angels and people of God where we shall live for ever and ever We have already spoken of foure points wherein the dignitie of the Church consists first that it is called the City of God secondly that it is called the body of Christ thirdly that it is called the Spouse of Christ fourthly that it is called the ground and Pillar of truth Fifthly that it is like to Noahs Arke that there is no salvation without it for as in the old world all perished that were not gathered into Noahs Arke their wisedome Towers castles and goods could not save them so all that are not gathered into the Church they shall perish it is not their wisdome nor wealth that can save them for the Church is the Arke of God there is no salvation but in Sion that is in the Church of God therefore the holy Scripture saith in this place of those God had a purpose to save he added to the Church from day to day so Ephe. 5. 23. Saint Paul saith that Christ is the Saviour of his body now the Church is the body of Christ therefore there are none saved but the Church that is none but they which are joyned to Christ and become members of him as Iosh 2. 18 19. there wee see a covenant was made betweene Rahab and the Spies that she should hang a red threed or a cord out of the window at their comming so all that were within the house should be saved but if they were out of the house though they were her owne kindred yet they should perish their bloud should be upon their owne heads such a covenant God hath made with us that if we will get into the house where the red threed the cord hangs out of the bloud of Christ we shall bee saved but all that be without this house are like to perish their bloud shall be upon their owne heads Now there are foure reasons why there is no Salvation but in the true Church of God First because there onely the heavenly light shineth the Church is the Goshen of God where the heavenly light shineth when all the world over lye in Aeygptian darknesse as wee see in the Scriptures therefore because the heavenly light shineth in the Church there is no salvation without it so Esai 59. 10. it is said Wee grope for the wall like the blind as one without eyes who stumbles in the noone dayes as in the twilight wanting the light they dash here and there they grope for the wall and cannot finde it so all that be out of the Church of God want this same heavenly light to shine unto them they dash here and there grope for the wall lose themselves and shall never be able to finde the way to heaven therefore because the light of God shineth in the Church onely there is no salvation without it Secondly because wee can have no Communion with Christ unlesse wee have Communion with the members of Christ for as it is in the naturall so it is in the mysticall body of Christ in the naturall body wee cannot have Communion with the head unlesse we have Communion with the members for my hand cannot have Communion with my head unlesse it bee joyned to my arme so wee cannot have Communion with Christ unlesse wee have had Communion with his members which is the true Church of God therefore there is no salvation without it Thirdly because no where else wee can looke for a blessing but in the Communion of the faithfull and societie of the godly It is true indeed as David saith that the earth is full of the goodnesse of God but the speciall blessing of God resteth onely in the societie of the faithfull as Exod. 20. 24. saith God In all places where I shall put the remembrance of my name I will come to thee and blesse thee so Psal 113. 3. it is said of the Church For there the Lord appointed blessing and life for evermore Now the mountaines of Sion are figure of the true Church of God so the blessing of Sion is no where but in the Communion of the true Church as Iohn 5. wee see a number of Lame men sicke diseased lay at the poole side waiting when the Angell of God should come down and stir the waters because whosoever could get in after the waters were stir'd was healed what disease soever he had so because in
will prove that they cannot be true Catholikes First because alwayes the true Catholikes have taught that divine worship is to be given to God onely and to no creature else as Christ saith Matth. 4. to the devill thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve so likewise Revel 22. Iohn fell downe to worship the Angell but the Angell said unto him See that in no wise thou dost it for I am thy fellow servant and Saint Ierome saith that we Christians doe not worship any creature neither Angell nor Archangell but God onely now because they teach that we should worship stockes and stones and the workes of mens hands therefore they are no true Catholikes Secondly because true Catholikes teach that there is but one Mediator between God and man and that is Christ only according to the Apostle For there is but one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus so Heb. 13. 15. saith he Let us therefore by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwayes to God so Origen also we Christians offer up all our prayers to God by the meanes of Christ but the Papists teach that there are a number of Mediators and that we may pray to the Virgin Mary to Peter and Paul therefore they are no true Catholikes Thirdly because the true Catholike Church hath taught for sixteene hundred yeeres together that men should not equivocate should not speake one thing and thinke another but should speake the truth from their hearts as Ephe. 4. 25. saith the Apostle Wherefore cast off lying and speake the Truth every man to his neighbour so Psalm 15. Hee that speaketh he truth in his heart is one of them that shall inhabite Gods holy hill therefore we cannot say one thing and meane another for the oath is according to him that taketh the oath and not according to the minde of him that sweareth but the Papists teach that a man may equivocate sweare one thing and meane another and therefore they are not true Catholikes Now the use of this is seeing in this world is the true Catholike Church and the meanes of Grace let it be our wisedome to lay hold on the good meanes that is set before us before wee remove hence I have shewed you heretofore if a man should send his servant into the Indies with a ship to fill with gold and there might have it but fils it with rubbish stones and gravell when this servant comes home hee may looke for a cold welcome home so the Lord hath sent us into this world as it were into the Indies with a ship with our soules and bodies and into the Church of God there we may have gold to fill our shippes with that is the graces of his Spirit therefore if wee shall fill our shippes with rubbish gravell or dirt that is with sinnes and corruptions we may looke for a cold welcome home for in the Church of God there are the springs and fountaines of grace therefore why doe wee not apply our selves to fill shippes with the purest gold to get faith repentance prayer and all the graces of the Spirit that so we may have comfort at our returne to God SERMON LXVIII 1 IOHN 1. 3. That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that yee also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ HAving spoken of the Church in the next place wee are to speake of the speciall benefits and blessings that God doth bestow on it for the Church is Gods peculiar and chosen people that hee hath drawne out of this world therefore it pleaseth him to bestow greater blessings and more speciall favours on them than on all other societies and assemblies whatsoever It is true indeed that there be common blessings that hee bestowes upon others as it is said Psal 119. 69. that the earth is full of thy goodnesse O Lord and so Matth. 5. 45. For hee maketh the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good and sendeth raine on the just and on the unjust these common blessings all the people of the world partake of O but there are a peculiar blessings and favours that belong to none but to Gods servants wherein none of the wicked have their parts and therefore as David saith Psal 31. 19. How great is thy goodnesse O Lord which thou hast laid up for them that feare thee and done to them that trust in thee c. the prophet doth not say positively much goodnesse is laid up for them that feare God but makes a question and saith how much goodnesse and so Psalm 147. ult hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements so there bee speciall favours and blessings that none of the world have part in for howsoever the wicked of the world may have common blessings as riches favour amongst men wisedome and learning and bee enabled to mainetaine Arts and Sciences yet notwithstanding there are speciall blessings that none of the wicked have their parts in that doe belong to his children onely to enjoy by the meanes of Faith so Genes 17. 18 22. Abraham prayeth to God that Ismael might live in his sight the Lord told him that he had heard him concerning Ismael and that he would make a great nation of him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac even so now God blesseth the wicked in this world hee maketh great men of them and rich gives them wisedome children and such like but his covenant he doth establish with Isaac his speciall blessings and favours hee bestowes on none but his owne children to be enjoyed by Faith Now there bee two reasons why the Lord doth so and it is not unprofitable for a man to consider of them First because the godly may see what a goodly and rich portion the Lord hath appointed for them that so if any wayes either through the falsehood of the devill or other provocations they bee pulled out from the enjoying thereof they may labour to recover it againe knowing no where to have better entertainement than in the house of their father this it was that brought home the Prodigall sonne to his fathers house when he considered the happy estate of those that lived therein that they had bread and bread enough and not onely the sonnes but the servants and such as were hired but for a day even the meanest of them so when Christians shall consider the rich and happy estate of all the people of God what a deale of comfort and joy they have in the house of God that they are comfortable in their life and blessed at their death when they sleepe in the dust and when they shall be raised up to glory that is no small allurement for them to returne againe unto the house of God so we see Hos 2. 7. it is there
our sinnes pardoned and then the Lord will raise up our bodies at the last day and give us life everlasting but on the contrary if wee have not communion with the Saints in this life and have not our sinnes pardoned we can never looke that God will raise up our bodies at the day of Iudgement and give us life everlasting Therefore beloved brethren be exhorted to labour to have communion with the Saints here in this World with the forgivenesse of sinnes and then God will raise up our bodies at the day of judgement and give us life everlasting As Revel 20. 6. it is said Blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection for on such the second death shall have no power Hee is a blessed man that riseth out of his sinnes and his corruptions in this life on such a one the second death shall have no power If a man make a bargaine and giveth somewhat in hand some earnest then he expecteth the performance of covenants about the bargaine but if he hath no earnest given him then he lookes for no bargaine so the Lord hath made a bargaine with us to give us Heaven and happinesse after which if hee hath given us earnest somewhat in hand in this life that is the communion of Saints and the forgivenesse of sinnes now then wee may looke to have our bodies raised and to have life everlasting We may expect the rest but if wee have no earnest in hand in this life that wee have not our parts in the Communion of Saints nor the forgivenesse of sinnes then when wee come to die we cannot looke for the blessings in the life to come Moreover in this Article we are to consider divers particulars First We beleeve that although we shall be laid into the grave and dissolved into dust yet that one day we shall rise againe by the power of Christ this is the property of a Christians faith The Heathen doe beleeve that they shall all dye and bee dissolved to dust but not that they shall rise againe now this point of the Resurrection is cleare by Scripture and by Reason First we will prove it by Scripture as Esay 26. 19. Thy dead men shall live even with my Body shall they rise that is when I rise all the dead shall rise so Dan. 12. 2. and many of them that slept in the dust shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt so also Paul Acts 24. 15. saith And have hope towards God that the Resurrection of the dead which they themselves looke for shall be both of the just and unjust and so Revel 20. 12. saith he I saw the dead both great and small stand before God so then it is cleare by Scripture seeing all other things are come to passe which the Scripture hath foretold then wee may bee sure that this shall come to passe also in the time that God hath appointed Now the Reasons to proove that there is a Resurrection are five in number 1. From the Power of God 2. From the Iustice of God 3. From the Mercie of God 4. From the End of Christs comming 5. From the Resurrection of Christ First From the Power of God for as Tertullian saith it seemes a harder matter for God to make a man being nothing out of the dust of the Earth than to raise and repaire him out of the dust being something and no question but that the Power of God is able to raise the dead at the resurrection as our Saviour reasoneth against the Pharises Matth. 22. 29. saith he Ye erre not knowing the Scripture nor the power of God c. as who should say the Lord hath Power to raise the dead The second Reason is drawne from the Iustice of God for it is agreeable to Iustice that those that bee partakers in good and evill actions should be also partakers in rewards and punishments but the bodies of men are partners in good and evill actions with the soule therefore the Lord will raise up the bodies of men to reward them that have done well and punish them that have done evill Tertullian saith well Wee must not thinke that God is unjust or slothfull First we may not thinke that God is unjust that he will reward the soule and destroy the body and that he will punish the soule and not the body therefore hee will raise up mens bodies to reward them that have done well and to punish the evill Againe secondly we must not thinke that God is slothfull that he will not put himselfe to that paines to raise up the dead bodies of men to punish them for their sinnes and offences therefore hee will raise our bodies to punish or reward them with our soules Thirdly From the Mercie of God for mercy extends as much as may be to all and this mercy is in men that if they could they would raise all the dead bodies of their friends but the mercy of God is infinitely greater than the mercy that is in men whose mercie extends in goodnesse to all the bodies and soules of men therefore hee will raise them and doe all the good he can to them he loveth as Christ saith Matth. 22. He is the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob Hee is not the God of the dead but of the living So he will raise their bodies or else he were God but to one part of Abraham but his mercy extends to both parts therefore he will raise the bodies of dead men Fourthly From the end of Christs comming which was to dissolve the workes of the Divell as it is said Iohn 3. 8. For this purpose appeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolve the workes of the Divell for the Divell first brought in sinne and sinne brought death this was his end for he brought in sinne to bring death upon us And therefore because hee aimed at this Christ came to dissolve this great worke of the Divell which is not done except there be a resurrection of the body therefore the dead shall rise againe Fifthly From the Resurrection of Christ for hee did not rise like a private Person as the Widdowes Sonne did and as Lazarus but He rose as the publike Head of the Church Saint Paul saith That Hee was the first fruits of them that slept so in the rising of Christ all the People of God did virtually rise that which went before in the Head shall follow in the Members as Augustine saith and Cyril saith well that Christ entred into Heaven by the narrow passage of his sufferings and death to make a wide passage for us into Heaven so in Christs rising we rise I but some say It was an easie matter for Christ to rise because He was God I answer it was a hard matter for Christ to rise againe after he was laid into the grave I
house he will take it downe peece by peece in parts with great care and diligence and will lay it up safe because he meanes to build with it againe so because wee know that our bodies shall rise againe at the last day therefore we must not destroy our bodies but labour to repose them and lay them downe well at the day of death Thirdly seeing the same body shall rise againe that we have here in this world and the same that we lay downe at the day of death therefore here this great question may be answered whether we may know one another at the day of judgement This question need be no question seeing we shall rise againe with the same bodies that we lye downe with here therefore surely wee shall know one another in Heaven and wee have reasons to confirme us in it First because our knowledge shall be more perfect at that time than ever Adams was in the time of innocencie for if Adam did know his wife as soone as she was brought him though hee never saw her before therefore much more wee shall know one another seeing our knowledge shall bee more perfect and we shall rise with the same bodies that wee lived with here Secondly On the Mount his Disciples had but a taste of the Heavenly glorie and yet Peter knew Moses and Elias although they were dead many thousand yeeres before if hee knew them when hee had but a taste of glory much more we shall know one another when wee shall have fulnesse of glory Thirdly Our happinesse shall bee greatly increased by meanes of the mutuall societie one with another Matth. 8. 11. But I say unto you that many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of God therefore seeing our happinesse shall bee greatly increased then by mutuall societie wee are not to thinke that we shall goe to a strange people where we know no body but wee shall goe to our godly friends and acquaintance and to such as we know Fourthly Wee shall heare the inditement of the wicked at the day of Iudgement there we shall here them arraigned and condemned for their vile facts Cain for killing of Abel Pharaoh for oppressing the Israelites Iudas for betraying of his Master Nero for killing of Christians when we heare them indited and condemned we shall know them And as wee shall know the wicked so we shall know the Godly too when they shall be rewarded which me thinkes may bee a motive to quicken us in our care to live holily and Christianly here in this World seeing wee goe not to a strange Countrie or people but to our friends and acquaintance and to such as know us Thirdly The Time when we shall rise that is at the day of judgement then and never till then so Martha sayes in this place I know my Brother shall rise againe in the Resurrection at the last day so also S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. 51. We shall not all sleepe but we shall all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall blow and the dead shall bee raised up so then wee shall rise at the last judgement and never till that time Now there are foure reasons of this delaying First Because there might be a proportion betweene Christ and his members for Christ when he was dead did not rise again by and by but lay a time trampled and troden underfoot of death so also that wee might lie a time under the chaines and fetters of death God suffers us not to rise till then Ireneus shuts up his Booke with this saying Even as our Heavenly Master did not flie to Heaven by and by but did remaine under death and in the Grave for a time so all his servants must be contented to lie in the Grave and to be trampled and trodden underfoote of death for a time before they goe to Heaven Secondly Because that the bodies of all the faithfull that are gone before and those that come after might have their full consummation of glory together Therefore they shall not rise to prevent one another in glory but they shall all goe together As Saint Paul saith 1 Thes 4. 15. For this say wee unto you by the Word of the Lord that we which live and are remaining unto the comming of the Lord shall not prevent them that sleepe so wee shall not get the start of them but we shall arise all together to glory This is a sweet comfort to us that live in the last age of the world that all the Saints that are departed shall not rise to this Heavenly glory till wee be ready but lie waiting in their Graves for us We read 1 Sam. 16. 11. When Samuel came to Ishai to annoint David Ishai called all his Sonnes before him to whom Samuel said Are there no more children but these there remaineth said Ishai yet a little one behinde that keepeth sheepe unto whom Samuel said Send and fetch him for we will not sit downe till he come hither so the People of God they lie waiting in their graves and are kept from their honour and glory and will not sit downe in the Kingdome of Heaven as it were till we all meete together Thirdly For the further declaration of the Power of Christ for it is a greater matter that Christ should raise men that have lien rotting in the Grave a thousand yeeres together than for to raise men when they are newly dead therefore Martha said to Iesus My brother stinketh already for he hath beene dead these foure dayes Therefore it is not so easie a matter to raise him as it was Iairus daughter and the widdowes sonne so Ezek. 37. 3. the Lord said unto him Sonne of Man can these dead and drie bones live and I answered saith the Prophet Lord thou knowest it is a hard matter to doe it therefore this declaration is for the further manifestation of the Power of Christ Fourthly For the further confirmation of our faith for looke how many there are of the dead bodies of the Saints amongst us so many pledges and pawnes there are of our Redemption for although wee might doubt in our selves of our owne bodies rising in regard of the badnesse of our lives and in regard of our vile sinnes yet because there bee so many bodies of the dead Saints amongst us wee neede not doubt but that he will raise them up one day to glory There are three bodies already ascended into Heaven Henoch in the time of Nature Elias in the time of the Law and Christ in the time of the Gospell and for these three bodies hee hath left many thousand bodies of the dead Saints remaining under death and in the grave to bee pledges and pawnes to us of our Resurrection one saith well we have here in
sure it is therefore that he will restore any part that his friend should lose for his names sake as Heb. 11. 35. it is said of the holy men that they would not bee delivered from those paines and torments which the wicked had devised against them that they might receive a better resurrection and in the story of the Macchabees we read a strange and worthy narration recorded also by Iosephus that when one of the seven Children of the mother came to suffer and was to have his tongue and other parts to be cut off he saith These have I received from the Heavens but now for the Law of God I despise them and trust that I shall receive them againe so because wee know that if wee lose any part for the Name of Christ he will restore it to us at the day of judgement Therefore wee should not bee affraid to lose it but contented and willing to part with all for Christ Now if any man should object that wee shall not then have all our parts restored againe because Christ saith Matth. 18. that a man were better to goe halt and lame into the Kingdome of God than having two hands and two feete to be cast into everlasting fire To this I answere That Christ doth not speake positively but by supposition for he doth not say ye shall goe halt and lame into life but hee saith it were better for a man to goe in any meane and base condition to God as blinde lame naked and poore than to goe into everlasting fire with all the glory that this world can afford Secondly I answer It is to be understood of the estate of the soule and not of the body for if a man were to lose his hands or feete yea all the parts of his body for this end onely to have his soule goe to Heaven it were better than that he should have all the parts of his body and go with the wrecke of his soule and conscience into everlasting fire Secondly the glory of the body consists in this that it shall be beautifull and lovely howsoever now our bodies may bee rotten deformed and ill-favoured especially when we be dead at which time the bodies of the best and beautifullest are ill-favoured to looke on We see good Abraham when Sara was dead desired to have a place to bury her out of his sight so lothsome and ill-favoured we be when we be dead but at the resurrection then our bodies shall bee made beautifull and lovely no man or woman is now so beautifull as we shall be then and that for two Reasons First Looke what estate Adam was in in the time of innocencie in the same estate shall the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection but the body of man was so beautifull and glorious so full of brightnesse and spendor which issued from it as all the Beasts of the field stood gazing and looking on him in the same estate shall all the bodies of the Saints be at the resurrection Secondly all deformities blackenesse ill-favourednesse and crookednesse are punishments and penalties for sinne but when our sinnes and our corruptions shall cease then the penaltie and punishment shall cease Oh how should this quicken up our care to repent of our sinnes to get faith in Christ to walke holily here that wee may have our portion with the Saints Wee see here when men and womens bodies bee crooked and deformed they weare iron bodies and will indure any thing to make them straight againe besides if they be not well-favored they will send into Spaine and Italy to buy complexion which when they have it doth not help nature but they be the worse for it because it eats out their favour But if men will feare God repent their sinnes get faith in Christ and walke holily here our Lord Iesus Christ will repaire all and make our bodies beautifull and lovely when Salomon had built the Temple the Chaldeans came and destroyed it afterwards when it was built againe it came not to the former glory that it had but it shall not be so with the bodies of the Saints for they shall bee restored to a more beautifull and glorious estate than ever they had before Thirdly the glory of the bodies of the Saints shall consist in this that they shall be filled with brightnesse and splender now their bodies are darke and obscure but then they shall be like so many bright starres and shining Lampes when all the bodies of the wicked shall gather blackenesse and darknesse and shall looke like filthy scroules all the bodies of the Saints shall be like so many bright Stars as Daniel 12. 3. it is said And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Starres for ever and ever this Christ doth further inlarge Matth. 13. 43. The Iust shall shine as the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father the Sunne did never looke more glorious upon this world than the bodies of the Saints shall shine with glory at that day therefore what a comfortable estate shall our bodies be in at that time We see when Moses had talked with God forty daies by the reflexion of Gods glory upon him his face did shine so that the children of Israel were not able to behold it how much more will the glory of Saints be when they shall abide with God not forty daies but for ever and ever if there shall be such glory and brightnesse in the bodies of the Saints how superexcellent shall the glory of the Soule bee then The use is that a Christian should solace himselfe in the meditation of this and not thinke his time lost in the Service of God but abstract his heart from the love of this world and worldly things to thinke on the future glory that God hath prepared for the Saints and cheare up thy heart with it as Gen. 13. the Lord makes an excellent promise to Abraham concerning the land of Canaan bidding him Arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth thereof so the Lord makes goodly promises to a Christian concerning Heaven Therefore though hee hath not put us in possession of it hitherto yet we should arise and walke through the land in the length and breadth of it that is meditate and thinke on the glory and goodly delights of it and solace our soules therewith Secondly seeing the Lord will honour our bodies then with such a deale of glory we must be carefull to spend our time well to live in all holinesse and righteousnesse while wee live here for how can wee looke that God should honour us when wee are not carefull to keepe our bodies holy and labor to honor them our selves It is a rule in Art that they that would finish their colors in brightnesse must lay grounds sutable so if thou
that although they should desire but a drop of comfort they shall goe without it Wee see the rich Glutton fared delicately every day lay soft had rich apparell and had a knot of knaves to attend on him but when he was in Hell hee could not have so much as a drop of water to refresh him this extremitie all the wicked shall bee in they shall be subject to necessities of nature and to all paines torments A number of men doe not beleeve us now but one day they shall see and feele it for if wee live not holily in this world I that am the Preacher and you that are the hearers we shall all see it and our hearts shall tremble at it The Godly they shall bee in an estate of glorie but the wicked in an estate of shame then how shall they crie out against the other and say yee would not bee ruled by us nor heare our counsell and advice Wee have heard what S. Paul said to the men that were in the ship Act. 27. 21. Had you hearkned to mee you might have scaped this losse saved your ship and your goods So good preachers shall stand up in that day against men and say if you had hearkned to us you might have shunned this losse if you had repented of your sinnes gotten faith in Christ and walked in a Holy course you might have saved your bodies and soules SERMON LXXIIII IOHN 10. 27 28. My Sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me And I give unto them eternall Life and they shall never perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand THe sacred Story shewes 2 Sam. 6. 13. after David brought the Arke from Obed-Edoms house when they had gone sixe paces they stood still and offered Oxen and fatlings to give God thankes for their good beginning which they had made so should Christians doe in any labour that they goe about stand still as it were and give God thankes for the good entrance they have made on their labours At this time therefore amongst other holy duties which wee are to performe to God on the Sabboth let us be thankefull to him for the good entrance wee have made in our harvest labours that so by this harvest wee may remember that great harvest wherein we shall all reape that which wee have sowne in the time of life Now having finished the Doctrine of the Resurrection yet there remaines some questions to bee answered although for mine owne part I could be contented to passe them over because as David saith Psal 131. 1. I have not exercised my selfe in great matters or in things too high for me and to observe the order expressed in the Law where the Priests as well as the People had their bounds set them which they might not passe beyond Neverthelesse I purpose to answer your desires and expectations in making supply of them as farre as by the light of Gods Truth I can and as I gather by the grace of God given me The first question is whether such as were borne monsters and mishapen shall rise monsters at the last day To this Augustine answers that they shall not rise monsters but shall rise corrected and amended in all the parts Because saith he if a workeman should make a thing ill-favoured and deformed he lets it not alone so but will melt it againe till it bee most excellent and beautifull much more can the Lord when he hath made them deformed melt them by death and so make them glorious bodies fashioned like to the Saints Now to his Iudgement I assent thus farre that all the bodies of them that are godly and holy people and his chosen their bodies shall rise glorious and beautifull though they were borne monsters and mishapen but they that be wicked shall have the same deformities upon them at the day of Iudgement that they had in this world for deformednesse and to bee mishapen is a punishment for sinne but at the day of Iudgement the punishment of sinne to them shall not bee lessened but further increased as the Schoolemen say If a wicked man have a hand cut off or lose an eye justly for his offence by the Magistrate they shall bee restored to him at the day of Iudgement to his further increase of torment unto which I assent because there are two courts the Court of men and of God the Court of men extendeth but to this life onely and there ceaseth they cannot make them lose their members for ever but the Iudgements of God beginne in this life to a wicked man and are perfected in the life to come and therefore if a man be borne a monster and mishapen and a wicked man he shall rise so againe so we see here in this world what a man that is mishapen and deformed would give to have it redressed and amended and yet they doe not consider to live in their sinnes is a meanes to bring all deformities upon them The second Question is in what Sex we shall rise againe whether or not men shall rise men and women women as they bee I answer they shall rise in the same Sex they lived in as wee see Matth. 22. 28. the Sadduces came to Christ saying There was a woman that had seven husbands and at last she died therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she bee of the seven for seven had her to wife whereunto Christ doth not say there shall bee no woman at the resurrection but that they shall not marrie but shall bee as the Angells of God in Heaven the Sexes shall not cease and S. Ierome saith upon that place that Christ giveth us to understand where hee saith that they shall not marrie nor give in marriage that both shall rise againe men shall rise men and women shall rise women and the Greeke words will beare it though the Latine will not so 1 Peter 3. 7. hee exhorts men and women to live together as heires of the grace of life and Matth. 12. 42. it is said The Queene of the South shall rise up in Iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it c. Hence it is manifest both Sexes shall rise againe The third Question is In what age wee shall rise whether Children shall rise Children and old men old men Augustine answers that they shall all rise at the age of Christ that is at 33 yeeres of age whereunto the Schoolemen agree but I dare not assent unto it because there is no warrant out of the Scripture for it for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and that which hath not his warrant from the word of God cannot bee of faith which must bee grounded on the Scripture And Augustine himselfe saith whether little Children shall rise Children wee doe not finde in the Scripture or in what age men shall rise indeed there is one place that seemes to confirme
that he sends not all afflictions at once 169. †The three afflictions that Christ suffered 153. The behaviour of Christ in his afflictions 158. The effects of Christs afflictions 160. Christ was affraid To stand be fore God in Iudgemens clothed in our sinnes of death Not as a dissolution of Nature But as Gods curse 155. Christs agonie the cause of his sweat 161. All things made for mans benefit 71. How Christ shall bee All in all at the day of Iudgement 477. Almighty see God The amazement of Christ on the Crosse proceeded from Gods curse 157. Angels Ministers unto Christians 297. ¶ The Angels service to Of Christs anointing 78. Men. 430. Christ 122. ¶ What meant by anointing in the Law 16. Christ by being anointed was designed enabled made acceptable for the worke of redemption 78. With what By whom the end why Christ was anointed c. 81. The benefit of Christs anointing participation of His Graces the dignitie of his Person 89. We must anoint Christs Head Body and Feete with the Oyle of Devotion Compassion and Contrition 82. ¶ In the Law were anointed Prophets Priests Kings 83. No injurie must bee done to the Lords anointed 82. †Apocrypha see Scripture Of Christs appearing 305. Application of Christ to the heart better than Simeons holding him in his armes 141. †The wicked can doe no more than God hath appointed 213. ¶ 268. †Whatsoever betides a man is by Gods appointment 214. The Place Time Manner and Preparation of Christs apprehension 177. c. That apprehension of impenitent sinners worse than that of Christs in the Garden 186. * Comfortable words like Aqua-vitae 589. Christs armes his messengers 342. Christs arraignement frees us from arraignment and condemnation 194. * Of Christs ascension 353. The Necessity Time Place from whence Manner Fruits and benefits of Christs asscension from 353. to 365. Christ ascended to Prepare a place for us Send down the holy ghost Lead captivity captive Give gifts to his Church Make intercession for us 354 Difference betwixt Christs ascension and others 363. Christs ascension a pawne of ours 315. †Trials to know whether wee have ascended from sinne or no. 365. Of the great assembly to Iudgement 428. Gods assistance in troubles makes men confident 194. †B CHristians ought to beare with one another in Hiding the infirmities Excusing them Loving the partie 595. Christians ought to begin all their workes with prayer and thankesgiving 645. †Not to resist beginnings in sinne dangerous 181. ¶ Why the Shepheards went to Bethlehem 126. * By Christs binding we are loosed from the chaine of condemnation and corruption 188. Christs birth the greatest Ioy of the world 125. ¶ The Place 116. Time 113. Manner 117. of Christs birth The manifestation of Christs birth 120. Foure reasons of Christs meane birth 118. God bestowes on his Children blessing of this life and the life to come 581. The wise order God takes in giving us blessings 622. The communion of Saints an earthly blessings 581. In the blood of Christ that issued out of his side is something naturall and miraculous 268. Christs blood purifies us from the guilt and filth of sinne 269. The blood of Martyrs and Christ cry unto God for revenge and mercy 85. †Body see Resurrection As a Goldsmith melts gold to make a cup for the king so God melts our bodies to make vessels of honour for himselfe 637. ¶ The perfection of our bodies compared to a Shipmans needle touched with a Loadstone 641. * Our bodies spirituall because Vpheld by Subject to the spirit 642. Chris rose with the same body hee was crucified with 340. ¶ The power of a glorified body 643. What use of stomacke teeth c. in a glorified body 628. ¶ Christ saves not our soules onely but our bodies also 230. ¶ Two Bookes opened at the day of Iudgement 439. Christ borne when Herod was king Augustus taxed the world why 115 Christ borne in a base place to shew 10. the guilt of sinne 2. to procure us a better place 3. to make us content with any estate 116. ¶ Christ borne after the common and poorest manner 117 118. Christ was bonnd in regard of God To sanctifie the bonds of his servants To teach us the desert of sinne That we might bee loosed 187. Men for Paine and punishment Caution and securitie Shame and disgrace 186. Against the Papists giving the bread onely 334. * What meant by Christs breaking of bread with the Disciples that went to Emmaus 334. Christs breathing on the Disciples was a signe of giving the Holy Ghost 345. †Christ was buried To give us assurance of his death that hee might conquer death in his strongest hold to sanctifie and sweeten the grave for us that wee might have strength to bury him 273. Of the burning of the world 410. ¶ A Story of two Protestants in king Edward the sixths dayes touching burning for religion 277. †The burthen of sinne 158. * Every sinne addes to the burthen of Christ 159. * The benefit of Christs buriall 281. Foure waies to bury sinne to kill it hate the loathsome face of it remove it out of our sight and to rake moulds on it 282. C CHrist comes when a man is at his calling 122. †Calvins speech Dominus cum venit inveniet me laborantem 122. ¶ Moderation in worldly cares seeing God is our Father 55. What the word Catholike meanes 574. ¶ The Church said to be Catholike in respect of Place Persons and Time 575. c. The Papists beleeving in the Catholike Church absurd in religion and reason 578. * Reasons proving the Papists no true Catholikes 578. A twofold chaine on every naturall man of corruption sinne of condemnation and guilt of sinne 188. The wicked compared to chaffe 434. A great change and alteration after conversion 499. We must commit the seede of our charity into the bosome of the poore and hands of God 594. ¶ All chastisements came from God our loving Father and shall turne to our good 56 57. Gods Children why withheld from worldly blessings 580. Gods Children never totally finally forsaken of him proued by foure grounds 172. What Christ shall doe after the last Iudgement 475. see Iudgement The word Christ what it signifies 77. see Anointed Christ and Messiah all one 77. ¶ Christ the Sonne of God 90. Christ proved to be God from the Names Attributes Workes and Worship of God ascribed to him 91. Why Christ must bee both God and Mun. 92. ¶ Christ borne when Augustus Caesar taxed the world to fulfill a Prophesie to be under the taxe of Gods wrath for our sakes 116. * Christ the Head of the Church three proofes 542. The love and willingnesse of Christ to die for us 208. †Every little meanes is to bee laid hold of to bring us to Christ 131. ¶ Three things required in him that would be found in Christ 693. The infinite comfort after finding Christ 312. No condition can
hinder a man from Christ 121. * How a strong Christian weakned by sinne may know whether the holy Ghost bee in him or no. 505. Christians of all men most happy because Christ is their Lord. 99. ¶ Good is to be done to Christians as they are Christians 461. †What the Church of God is 525. The Church Triumphant Militant 520. 530. No member of the Triumphant that is not of the Militant Church 530. The great blessing it is to be a member of the Church 566. ¶ Wee must beleeve a not in the Church 523. ¶ The Church a mixed company of good and bad 537. How the Church is one 534. The diverse estates of the Church here in this world 534. The Church sometimes hidden 535. ¶ The Church power at one time than another 537. Of cleaving to the Church 537. ¶ The blessings that proceed from the peace of the Church 536. ¶ The dignities of the Church 539. The Church as the Citie of God excels all other cities in foure respects 539. The Church the Body of Christ 542. * Christ Loveth Indoweth Adorneth Acquitteth Bringeth home Glorifieth the Church his Spouse 544. Vniversality a property of the Church 574. The Church the pillar and ground of truth 549. The Church preserves the Letters Canon Authority of the Scripture 550. Holinesse a property of the Church 569. Iudgement of the world mixture of good and bad remainder of sinne seeme to take away the holinesse of the Church 569. The Church said to bee Holy by 1. Faith and good conversation 2. Impâ—tation of Christs righteousnesse 3. Inherent holinesse in the true members 4. Having the means of holinesse 570. Reasons why there is no salvation without the Church 565. ¶ The Church Betâ—lehem thither we must goe to finde Christ 126. * All things tend to the good of the Church as crosse wheeles in a clocke 88. ¶ The come unto me in glory depends on the come unto me in grace 446. ¶ Christ comes to a man when things bee at the worst 115. ¶ The comfort of the Holy Ghost excels all other comforts 511. To appropriate Christs merit a great comfort 124. †Two times to commend our soules to God In danger every day 258. 3. grounds of coÌ„mending our selves to God because hee is the Father of Spirits our Father in Christ hath afforded us former favours 258. Why Christ gives signes of his comming 402. God communicates his wisdome c. to us we our griefes to him 583. Christ communicates to us Himselfe right of his death merit Power of Spirituall life Dignity of his owne estate 584 We communicate to Christ our Nature Sinnes Troubles and dangers 383. Christ communicates his graces to his Church 341. Of the communion of the Saints 579. By the communion of Saints a Christian hath a thousand helps 597. ¶ The communion of Saints consists in communion with God with Christ one with another 582 Foure lets of the communion of saints 605. The communion one with another consists in the commmuion of the 1. Living with the living 587 c. 2. Living and the Dead in wishing well to conversing with one another 598 3. Dead with the dead in 1. Lying together in the Grave 2. Being members of Christ 3. Being gathered to the Saints departed 599. The communion of the living with the living stands in community of Affection 587. Graces 588. Spirituall sacrifices ibid. Temporall blessings 590. Bearing one with another 594. The communitie of goods is limited in the Excesse Defect 592. Communions of the wicked 579. Christs company a great comfort 243. †Christs complaint on the crosse 168. Christ conceived of the flesh of the Virgin 105. †by the power of the holy Ghost how 106. Christ conceived by the Holy Ghost that he might be pure and without sin 107. †The stirre that was at Christs conception 108. * Of the condemnation of Christ 197. Conscience compared to a Booke wherein all things are written 207. ¶ To sin against conscience a fearefull thing 205. †207. †The property of a good conscience to be moved at Gods judgements 206. ¶ Bad consciences troubled at Christs comming 132. ¶ Wicked mens consciences may be sealed for a time but one day they shall be opened 184. ¶ No flying from an evill conscience 205. ¶ An evill conscience the worst accuser 207. ¶ A Christian though contemn'd in his life is honoured in his grave 278. ¶ Constancie in a good course requisite thogh without successe 199. * Of the conviction at the last day 437. Conversion makes men labour to draw others to the same estate 238. * Confession of sinne Cleering the Iustice of God Zeale for the honour of God a signe of conversion 238. No man knowes the instant of his conversion 305. No cost to be spared for Christ 280. ¶ Covetousnesse moved Iudas to betray Christ 181. †The workes of the Creation not to be lookt on but with due consideration 65. ¶ The Author Substance Manner Subject Estate Time Order End of the Creation c. 64. The motion multitude of the Creatures prove a Deitie 43. ¶ The Creature not God cause of sinne and defect 67. †We ought not to abuse the Creatures seeing God made them 65. Wee ought to pray for restauration to the creatures 68. * Christ died the death of the Crosse because it was most Accursed Shamefull Painefull Apparent 211. Christs behaviour on the Crosse 224. The seven last words of Christ on the Crosse 224. c. The scandall of the Crosse weakens faith 321. Christs Disciples must bee carriers of the Crosse 214. ¶ No man must make a Crosse to himselfe but bee contented if God lay it on him 214. ¶ All Crosses must be borne ibid. The place where Christ was crucified 215. Why Christ was crucified aloft 213. * How Christ was led to be crucified 213. What torments are expressed in the word crucified 219. ¶ Vses from Christs crucifying 220. c. Five falsehoods in Popish crucifixes 223. Christs Cup what it is 160. * Sinne brings Gods curse upon 〈◊〉 467. * D ALL needlesse dangers are carefully to be shunned 338. †Whether the darkenesse of the Sunne at Christs passion was all the world over 165. †The horrid darknesse of wicked men at the last day 165. ¶ The holy Ghost illuminates as a window in a darke house 509. Dead bodies members of Christ having communion with him 600. Incertainty of death should stirre us up to conscionable walking 237. †At the day of death most care is to bee had of our soules 238. ¶ 257. ¶ 258. * Death but a departing 143. * The good change a Christian makes by death 242. ¶ The greatest extremitie befals Christians at the time of their deaths 169. ¶ We ought to prepare for death 179. †Christs Death 261. Voluntarie 265. The manifestation thereof 266. The Power thereof 269. ¶ The fruits of Christs Death are to us freedome from the Eternall Death Seing of Death Curse of Death Power of
37. saith David Marke the upright man and behold the just for the end of that man is peace In 1 Sam. 12. 3. when Samuel came to resigne his office he standeth out to cleare himselfe to the people and saith Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or of whom have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes withall so when a man can stand out at the day of his death and cleere himselfe as Samuel did and say O Lord I thanke thee that I have not beene a deceiver or an unjust dealer in the world but I have dealt justly and uprightly this may be a comfort to him at the day of his death therefore it is a good thing to be a just dealer Secondly it is said he was a devout man as it is in the new Translation the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a religious man such a one as feared God so we must put both these together he was a just man and a religious man for it is nothing to be religious unlesse one be just nor nothing to bee just unlesse one be religious therefore if thou bee religious labour to bee just also if thou bee a just man labour also to bee religious for a man must so looke to his duties to God as that hee doe not neglect his service to men and so looke to men as that he doe not neglect his duety to God It is a corruption in the world that if a man be a good and a just dealer in the world he cares not for religion if he be religious hee cares not for good dealing therefore art thou a just man make conscience of religious dueties for howsoever thou mai'st stand before man and bee in account with him yet thou shalt not bee able to stand before God and art thou a religious man labour thou also to bee a just man a good dealer lest this lye on thy conscience at the day of thy death for no unjust man shall inherite the kingdome of God Thirdly hee waited for the consolation of Israel which implyes two things first that hee had laid up all his hope joy comfort and consolation in Christ which must likewise teach us to lay up all our hope and comfort in Christ as Phil. 3. the Apostle saith Christ was to him both in life and in death advantage and our Saviour saith Ioh. 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad so also Iohn 20. the Disciples said to Thomas Wee have seene the Lord and Mary she had laid up all her joy and comfort in Christ Many now adayes lay up their comfort in their friends some in their goods and lands or in their money but a Christian must lay up all his joy and comfort in Christ and then one day hee shall be happy with him let a man lay up his comfort in any thing but in Christ howsoever it may stand by him in the time of peace yet it will faile him in the time of trouble howsoever it stand by him in life yet it will faile him in the time of death but if we can lay up our comfort joy and hope in Christ then Christ will looke upon us with a sweete and comfortable face at his comming Secondly hee looked every day for the time of Christs comming so should we doe but there is a difference hee looked for his first comming in the flesh wee must looke for his second comming Rom. 8. 22. it is said the whole creation groaneth waiting for the comming of Christ much more should wee because wee shall have especially the fruit and benefit by it Iudges 5. The mother of Sisera looked out of a window and cryed why is his chariot so long a comming why tarry the wheeles of his chariots So when wee looke out of our doores or windowes we should long for Christs comming and say when will hee come and when will hee appeare thus wee should waite for Christs comming The second point is The manner how this manifestation was by a vision or as the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth by divine inspiration Christ was made manifest to the shepheards by an Angell to the Wisemen by a starre and to Simeon by a Vision Of which there are two parts First that he should not dye till he had seene Christ Hee was an old man and like to drop into his grave every day and yet he had a revelation given him that he should not dye till he had seene Christ so we should pray to God that we may have the same grace whether we bee young or old that we may not dye till we have seene Christ by the eyes of our faith for we have more cause to doe so than Simeon for if he had never seene Christ with the eyes of his body he might have beene blessed though he had wanted this comfort but if we doe not see him before we dye we are like to perish therefore we have much more cause to desire and pray God that we may see Christ before we dye before we bee downe in the dust and sleepe our long sleepe saith old Iaakob when his sonne Ioseph sent for him I will goe and see my Sonne Ioseph before I dye so a Christian should say I will goe and see Christ before I dye The second part of the vision was that he must goe into the Temple because Christ was to bee found there before Christ came there he was in the townes why did not Simeon goe out to meete him in the streets or why did not he goe to Bethlehem to see Christ as the shepheards did There be two reasons of it First that Christ might bee the more famously knowne secondly to teach us that if we will see Christ we must come into the Temple to the place of preaching and prayer for the Gospell as I have shewed you is a glasse wherein if we looke wee shall see Christ and all his graces even as Simeon did come by a motion of the Spirit so if wee would come to see Christ in the Temple we must come by a motion of the Spirit and of grace many come to the Temple but how come they by a motion of their friends or some other thing that mooveth them but let us come by a motion of the Spirit and then we shall see Christ to our comfort Thirdly the effects of the manifestation and they are threefold first as soone as he was come into the Temple he laid hold on Christ Simeon was an old man and had much adoe to scramble thither and yet hee was not contented to looke upon Christ and see him in the armes of Ioseph and in the lap of Mary but hee gets him into his owne armes embraces him and blesseth God that he lived to see these happy daies so must wee doe not content our selves to see Christ in
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
to us and wee will be one people Genesis 34. 16. Even so God saith to us if ye will be circumcised and cut off your lusts and your sinnes and be a sanctified and holy people then ye shall be one with me but if ye will not bee circumcised and cut off your lusts and your sins then yee will cause mee to depart away from you And this is the second thing whereby we may know when Christ makes a proffer to be gone Thirdly When we feele a decay of Gods graces in us when we have lost our zeale care and love as when the King removes from a place wee may know it by his carriage going before so the graces of Gods Spirit bee as it were the carriage therefore when this goes away know then Christ will remoove then he makes a proffer to be gone But why did Christ make a proffer to be gone It was not that hee had any purpose to depart but to trie their affections and to see what account they would make of him so the Lord doth still make a proffer to bee gone from us and to take away the Gospell and many times the comfortable feeling of his favour which hee doth to trie our faith and our affection and to trie what account wee will make of him So we see Matth. 15. 22. Christ deales with the woman of Canaan makes a proffer to bee gone as may appeare by conferring this with other places for it is said in Marke 17. 24. Christ went into an house and would have no man know it as if he would have beene gone from her yet shee followes him he goes into the fields and yet she followes him this was not that he had any purpose to be gone from her but to trie her faith and her affection As 1 Sam. 7. 2. the Arke was in the borders of Israel twentie yeeres together and all the people lamented after the Lord He kept the Arke twenty yeeres together aloofe of them to see how they would long for his presence So God deales with us hee withdrawes the comfortable feeling of his presence to see how wee will long after it and what account wee make of it as a loving mother sometimes hides her selfe from her childe not because she meanes to go from it quite but because shee would trie the love of her childe and how it longs after her so Christ doth shrinke away from us and hide his presence to trie our love our faith and our affection Therefore when Christ makes a proffer to be gone wee must doe as the people did Marke 1. 45. follow him not being at rest till they had found him though hee went into never so secret a place If hee be departed away from us wee should not bee at rest but follow him and labour to recover him againe by prayer meditation and the use of good meanes Now when Christ made a proffer to be gone these two Disciples would not let him goe but one hanged on the one arme as it were and the other on the other till they constrained him to tarry with them Hence wee must learne that if Christ makes a proffer to be gone we must not let him goe and doe as the World does If hee will goe let him goe and say wee cannot hold him but wee must importune him and constraine him to tarry with us as it is said of the good people Luke 4. 42. And when it was day he departed and went into a desart place and the people sought him and came to him and stayed him that he should not depart from them So when wee feele Christ to depart from us wee must constraine him to tarrie with us as Iacob did Genes 32. 26. When hee and the Angell wrestled together Iacob laid hold on him and would not let him goe till he had blessed him Now the Angell that did wrestle with Iacob was Christ So also Exodus 32. 15. When the Lord told Moses that hee would not goe with them but an Angell should goe with them Lord saith hee Carry us not away from this place unlesse thy presence goe with us Lord let me die here and goe no further unlesse thy presence goe with us so wee should pray to God not to carry us away from our houses that we may not stirre from the places where wee be unles the presence of God goe with us and when we feele the presence of God to be going from us we must pray him to tarrie with us and constraine him too But why doe they desire Christ to tarry with them because they had tasted of the goodnesse power sweet graces and excellency of Christ this was the reason of it therefore no marvell though the world let Christ goe and doe not desire him to tarry with them because they never felt the power of God neither tasted of the sweet and excellent graces that be in Christ but such as have tasted hereof will be contented to take any paines and labour to enjoy Christ therefore the Apostle Peter gives us this exhortation 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow therby as who should say If so be ye have tasted how good the Lord is you that bee Christians and have tasted of the Gospell and the sweetnesse of it even as a childe desires the milke of the breast and it is not at quiet till it hath it so desire yee the sincere milke of the word that ye may grow thereby and as Abraham said Gen. 18. Lord depart not from thy servant so wee should desire Christ to be with us and to say Lord depart not away from mee till the day of my death Now there are two especiall times wherein every Christian should pray that Christ may be with him 1. In the time of Trouble 2. At the time of Death First In the time of trouble when there is misery and extremity upon us then we had need to have a great deale of grace to sustaine us wee see ships in a great storme if they have not good Anchors and good Cables they may quickly miscarry and dash against some rockes and so make shipwracke in like manner if trouble and danger bee upon us if Christ be not with us we are like to miscarry therefore as the two Disciples said to Christ The day is farre spent and the night drawes on tarry with us so wee should say The day of prosperity is farre spent and there is a night of affliction drawing on therefore Oh Lord tarry with us and give us a good issue out of troubles so David prayeth Psal 22. 11. Be not farre from me O Lord because trouble is neere for there is none to helpe me this is a speciall time to have Christ with us Secondly At the day of death when wee come to end this life this is a speciall time to have Christ with us as the disciples