shall in his humanitie be seene visibly discending in the clouds as he was seene visibly to ascend by a cloud this was long since prophecied that euery eye should see him and how meete is it that the Iudge of all should be seene of all Thirdly in regard of his Church which as it is iustified by his first appearing in humilitie so must it be glorified by the second appearing of the head of the church in glorie Fourthly that he might in this last act of it fully accomplish his kingly office for when he shall haue faithfully finished this iudgement which is committed vnto him he shall immediatly deliuer vp the kingdome vnto his Father not that he shall then cease to bee an euerlasting king of glorie but because he shall no longer exercise any temporarie gouernement as now he doth Hee shall not rule his kingdome by ciuill magistrates nor his Church by such officers and ministerie as are now appointed vnder him for the gathering of the Saints It shall not stand in need of the means of edification by the word Sacraments or censures the Lambe himselfe shall be all these in the midst of the throne of God In both these regards he shall deliuer vp his kingdome but he must first appeare in a most glorious humanity to finish this great businesse For these reasons is this great worke committed to the Sonne immediately to execute Vse 1. Is Christ appointed the Iudge then may euery godly man and woman comfort themselues seeing their Sauiour shall be their iudge If a mans brother were to be his iudge hee would not feare but to get the day and the cause to goe with him but hee is the elder brother of euery beleeuer hee bad the women goe tell my brethren that I am risen againe I know saith holy Iob that my Redeemer or neere kinsman liueth yea hee is nearer then a brother beeing the husband of euery faithfull spouse If the wife should haue her louing husband who loueth her better then his owne life to iudge her cause what need shee feare but the matter will goe well with her what neede the members feare the head Let vs comfort our selues with these words and lift vp our heads because this day wherein our head shall shewe forth both his owne and our glorie who are his members draweth neere 2. This doctrine serueth also to daunt the wicked and vngodly They shall see him whom they haue pearced hee is their iudge against whome all their villanies haue beene committed whose seruants they haue villanously intreated whose kindnesse and peaceable conditions they haue despised and refused What a fearefull sentence awaiteth them when they shall come before him no mervaile if they call for the mountaines to couer them and the hils to hide them rather then they should appeare before the presence of his glorie whose wrath is as a consuming fire and no stubble can stand before it Oh consider this yee that put farre from you this great day of the Lord speaking peace to your selues whilest euery thing wageth warre against you in that you still by liuing in your sinnes proclaime open warre against the Son of God Why should you any longer abuse his patience why will you treasure vp wrath for your selues against this day of wrath why will you fit your selues as fewel for the fire of that day when the Lord Iesus shall come from heauen in flaming fire to render vengeance against all them which knowe not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Well if you will not be warned but you will goe on in such impenitent courses know it that the partie wronged by your sinnes is he who is appointed of God to be your iudge you will thinke it will go hard with Pilar seeing he is to be his iudge who was iudged by him to death and with Iudas that betrayed him and with the souldiers that put him to death but change the persons the case is your owne Secondly in the execution of this office two things must be considered 1. the persons vpon whome here said to be the quicke and the dead 2. the manner of it First by the phrase of quicke and dead is meant all mankind without exception of what age condition sex or qualitie soeuer they be euen all that euer haue receiued life from God from the first man that euer liued vpon earth to the last that shal be found liuing at the comming of Christ euen all these shall be iudged And the dead are mentioned as well as the liuing because the carnall and vnbeleeuing heart of man maketh more question how those who haue beene resolued into dust many thousand yeares agoe can bee quickened and raised to iudgement theÌ„ those that shall bee found aliue at that day therefore is the Scripture verie expresse in this particular Rev. 20.12 I saw the dead both great and small stand before God 2. Cor. 5.10 We shall all appeare before the iudgment seat of Christ. In like manner those speaches admit no exception which we euerie where meete withall as Euery eie shall see him euery man shall beare his owne burden euery man shall giue account of himselfe vnto God And that wee should not doubt of the certainty hereof the Scripture condiscendeth so farre to our weaknesse as to shewe vs the meanes how this great worke shall be brought about As 1. by the mightie and powerfull voice of Christ which whilest he was in his abasement could call dead Lazarus out of his graue Ioh. 5.28 those that are in the graues shal heare his voice 2. By the ministerie of the Angels who shall all not one excepted come with him and they shal gather the elect from all winds and present and force the wicked to the barre before the Iudge of all the earth euen then when they shal flie to the hills to couer them if it were possible from his presence 3. By the diligence of all the bruite creatures who in their kinds shall heare the voice of the Sonne of God The sea shall giue vp her dead so shall death and the graâ—â—e giue vp their dead the verie fire shall giue vp againe the bodies it hath wasted In a word all the creatures shal helpe forward this work of the great day which although it transcend the shallow reach of man yet is it not aboue the power of God Obiect But how can the quicke and dead bee then presented to iudgement seeing the godly shall not enter into iudgement and for the wicked they are iudged alreadie for he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie Answ. First for the godly they shall not enter into the iudgement of condemnation 2. they are by their particular iudgement acquitted alreadie but they must also by the generall iudgement receiue in their bodies which till that day are not absolued according as they haue done in the flesh 3. they must be solemnely and publikely inaugurated and invested into the glorie
to finish their course holding out in well doing vnto the ende Thus if we shall doe we shall be conformable vnto Iesus Christ acceptable to God our Father profitable to our brethren here on earth and shall treasure to our selues an excellent weight of glory in heauen But how many be there who hauing receiued many talents and charge to traffique with them bury their gifts and forget their charge against whom the fearefull sentence is not only passed but halfe executed alreadie his talent is taken from the slothfull seruant there now remaineth nothing but the binding of him and casting him into hell And would this were not too true not in many Ministers only but euen in numbers of priuate Christians who haue had both gifts and calling to teach and pray in their families but haue wilfully lost them for want of the carefull vse of them Now more specially this going about of Christ doing good standeth in two things The former in curing the deadly diseases of mens soules by most holy and sauing doctrine reuealing his Fathers whole will and teaching the things of the kingdome not coldly as the Scribes but in most powerfull manner so as his verie enemies were forced to say neuer man spake as this man doth The latter in curing the bodies of men also by most powerfull miracles one kind whereof which was most eminent namely the healing of Demoniaks is put for all the rest in the words following by both which meanes he shewed himselfe a mercifull Sauiour and the cheife Phisicion both of soule and bodie and in one word the verie healing God Of both which points we are to speake something seeing the former is the principall and included in this latter and these latter were but seruants vnto the former It is true that the Iewes were more affected with his miracles then with his doctrine insomuch as they were often wholly carried after him for the bread and belly sake Which seemeth to be the reason why the Apostle Peter speaketh more plainely of these as beeing better obserued and more sparingly of his doctrine which was not so great a rayser of his fame as these were but it must not be so with vs who look for saluation by his most holy doctrine but cannot by his miracles And first for his Doctrine the calling of our blessed Sauiour beeing to seeke and saue that which was lost to reduce the lost sheepe of the house of Israel vnto the fold to finde the lost goat to call sinners vnto repentance how all his life was thus taken vp were too long in euery particular to manifest To omit his priuate life which was nothing but an encreasing in wisedome and fauour with God and man After his solemne and publike inauguration he shewed himselfe a perfect mirrour of goodnesse both in the more generall parts of his propheticall office as also in the more speciall practises of it For the former how faithfull was he in all the house of his Father not as Moses who was but a seruant but as the Sonne who from the bosome of his Father brought and deliuered a most perfect word of truth yea who was not only the bearer of it but the verie author of all truth And therefore according to his power and commission reformed the law corrupted with false glosses of the Pharisies and established it preached the Gospel and dispersed it by himselfe his Apostles and other teachers after them raised by himselfe and fitted with gifts thereunto for the gathering of the Saints instituted and ministred the Sacraments of the new Testament after the abolishing of the old framed and prescribed a perfect forme of prayer vnto which all ours must be squared deliuered as Moses a patterne of the Temple and all things therein namely an absolute forme of externall gouernment for the perpetuall vse of the Church for the well ordering and cutting off disorders in it And for the latter how carefull was he to take all occasions to instruct particular persons in the will of his Father nay not only to take but euen seeke them that so he might make offer of the greatest good that euer men in this world could meete withall If his Disciples only speake of bread hee telleth them he hath other bread that they know not of If a poore woman meete him while she goeth to draw a bucket of water he preacheth vnto her of the water of the well of life If hee looke vpon the sunne he takes occasion thence to instruct those who were about him that he is the light of the world and that whosoeuer follow him walke not in darknesse If hee see but a little child hee thence taketh occasion to instruct his followers in the doctrine of humilitie innocencie and meeknesse If he doe but heare of his mother and brethren hee taketh occasion to shew his spirituall kindred and acquaintance And in both these how meekly gently humbly yea and compassionatly did hee carrie himselfe towards those that were any way teacheable howsoeuer in publike and against gainsayers he taught with maiestie and as one hauing authoritie Besides this how boldly and diligently went he about preaching the will of his Father in the midst of dangers discouragements and reproaches which were raised against him not only when they lay in waite to catch him in his speach but euen to attach his person to mischeefe him How often did the Iewes take vp stones to stone him how did the people assault him to throw him downe headlong from the toppe of an hill how many other deadly dangers escaped he and yet in the midst of death could not be discouraged nor ouercome of their mallice but ouercame their euill with goodnesse Vnto which most holy course of doctrine if we adde his most innocent life in which was no spot or error it addeth also grace and glorie to his doctrine Neuer went any before him or can doe after him doing good as he did for he neuer did otherwise no word or deede euer proceeded from him but was answerable to the lawes perfection so as the Church may wel sing out his beavrie from toppe to toe which is euery way matchlesse and incomparable Secondly Christ went about doing good by many miraculous actions all of them directly tending to the good of man The especiall vses of them all were three First to confirme the truth of his diuine person Ioh. 10.24 tell vs plainely if thou beest the Christ to which Iesus answered The workes which I doe beare witnesse of me and againe If I doe not the workes of my Father beleeue me not and Ioh. 2.11 This beginning of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilie and shewed forth his glorie Secondly to confirme the truth of his office thus the Iewes could sometimes confesse that he was a teacher sent of God Matth. 22.16 and Nicodemus affirmed that no man could doe such things vnlesse God were with him and Ioh. 6.14 Then the men
word of Christ should bee fulfilled see Iohn 18.32 Thirdly this kind of death carried with it a more speciall infamie then any other as at this day wee count hanging a dogs death that is an infamous kinde of death because it was especially execrable by the law which accursed euerie one which was hanged on a tree not that this death by any law of nature or in it selfe was more accursed then burning or pressing or by the sword for then neither the theife on the crosse could be saued nor any of our fellons thus executed whereas the scripture in the one and our owne experience in the other speake the contrary but it was onely accursed by the ceremoniall law of Moses so that euerie malefactor of the Iewes that was hanged was in the ceremonie accursed was the type of Christ the substance of all ceremonies who on the crosse was really and truly accursed sustaining the whole wrath of God which is the curse of the lawe and not only ceremonially and typically as they were This the Apostle Paul teacheth Gal. 3.13 that Christ was not onely dead but made a curse for vs his reason is because he died on a tree and therefore are we admonished Phillp 2.8 to consider not only that Christ was obedient vnto the death but to the death of the crosse for any other death had not so much concerned vs. Fourthly this death which so much concerned all the Church of Iewes and Gentiles must not be obscure and therefore the Lord would not haue Christ to die in a tumult or in secret but most conspicuously and apparantly at Ierusalem the great citie of the Iewes but tributarie to the Romanes as it were vpon the theatre of the world at a solemne feast when all the males out of all quarters must appeare before the Lord vpon a crosse high erected that all might see him and on that crosse himselfe proclaimed King of the Iewes in three seuerall languages the Latin Greeke and Hebrewe that all sorts of men might come to the knowledge of it and further because in his death standeth our life he must be thus lifted vp that all men might see him certainely dead and that he died not in shew and appearance only but indeede and in truth really and perfectly for which cause also our Apostle doubleth his affirmation they slew him and hanged him on a tree which most necessarie ground of faith and religion Satan hath mightily by many heretikes sought to ouerthrowe the Turks at this day are held off from the faith in this Messiah by that diabolicall suggestion that not Christ himselfe but Simon the Cyrenian was miraculously crucified in his stead And therefore because the assurance of the death it selfe assureth vs more fully of all the fruits and benefits of it the Scripture is carefull so pregnantly to confirme it as that it cannot be denied not only that he was in the sight of a number of thousands dead on the crosse but by his three dayes buriall by the peircing of his side out of which came water and blood by which was manifest that the verie call of his heart was peirced by the confession of his verie enemies who would beleeue nothing but their own sences and lastly by the fact of the souldiers who whereas they hastened the death of the theeues by breaking their legges they broke not his because the text saith they sawe that he was dead alreadie The fourth point is the vse of Christs crucifying First in Christ on the crosse take a full veiw of the cursednesse and execration of sinne and consequently of thine owne wretchednesse both in regard of thy wicked nature and cursed practises euery sinne beeing so lothsome and odious in the eies of God as the least could neuer be put away but by such an ignominious death of the Sonne of God himselfe If thou lookest at sinne in thy selfe or in thy suffrings yea or in the suffrings of the damned in hell it will seeme but a slight thing but behold God comming downe from heauen and him that thought it no robberie to be equall to his Father in glorie taking flesh in that flesh abasing himselfe to the death of the crosse on that crosse susteining the whole wrath of his Father and so becomming accursed for it and thou shalt see it in the natiue face of it and indeed this one consideration setteth a more vgly face vpon sinne then the law possibly can for that sheweth our sinnes to be a knife to stabbe our selues withall but this to be the very speare that went to Christs heart which is the most odious apprehension in the world all the sinne that euer was committed on the earth could not bring a man so low suppose one man had committed them all as the least sinne of the elect brought the Sonne of God seeing hee that falleth lowest falleth but from one degree in earth to another but Christ falleth from the glorie of heauen into the very sorrowes of hell whosoeuer thou art then that makest light account of sinne and pleadest that God is mercifull looke a little in this glasse wherein behold Gods iustice and sinnes desert in the Fathers iust indignation against his wel-beloued Sonne whom nothing but the cursed death of his only Sonne in whom hee professed himselfe well pleased could appease Secondly seeing all the knowledge of Christ profitable to saluation is of Christ crucified let vs desire to know nothing in comparison but Christ and him crucified seeing such a great Apostle as Paul was desired to know nothing else Now to come to the distinct knowledge of it we must consider these three points 1. The vertue and power of this death in it selfe 2. The application of it vnto our selues 3. The fruits which must appeare in vs by such application For the first Looke vpon this death of the Sonne of God not as of another dead man neither thinke or speake of it as of the death of another ordinarie fellon executed but as of a death which slew all the sinnes of all the beleeuers in the world and as a destroyer of all destroyers a death wherein was more power then in all the liues of all Angels and Men that euer were or shall be yea such a death as hath life in it quickning all the deaths of all that haue benefite by it Here we haue a mightie Sampson bearing away the gates of his enemies by death killing death by suffering his Fathers wrath ouercomming it by entring into the graue opening it for all beleeuers by his blood shedding vpon the crosse reconciling all things Col. 1.20 neuer was their such an actiue suffering of any man which tormented and crucified the Deuils themselues when the deuils instruments were tormenting and crucifying him it is peerelesse and vnmatcheable no Martyr euer thus suffered though Popish doctrine would match as Corriualls some of their Saints sufferings with it the most faithfull Martyrs suffred but dissolution of soule and bodie
is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. As if hee had said from henceforth namely after you haue crucified mee yee shall not see mee till the end of the world when I shall come againe which comming some few of you namely that are elect shall gratulate vnto mee and say blessed is hee which commeth in the name of the Lord. And perhappes as some interpret it all you who now reiect mee as a vile person wil then but too late and to no profit of your owne either by force or in imitation of the godly acknowledge mee the blessed that commeth in the name of the Lord and to this also maketh that Math. 26.64 where giuing a reason of his confession to Pilat that he was the Christ the Sonne of God hee telleth them that they shall hereafter see the Sonne of man but not before hee be sitting at the right hand of the power of God and comming in the cloudes of heauen 6. It appeareth that many more of the Iewes were more convinced in their consciences and pricked in their hearts for crucifying the Lord of glorie by the preaching and ministerie of the Apostles then they would haue beene by the sight of Christ himselfe In the second fourth fifth and seauenth Chapters of the Acts it euidently appeareth how by the Apostles direct dealing against their sinnes many thousands were conuerted at some one sermons and how many were daitly added vnto the Church whose faith was farre more sound in that they attained the blessing which Christ pronounced vpon those that beleeued and yet had not seene All which teacheth vs that in matter of diuinitie we must alwaies subscribe to Gods wisedome shutting vp our owne eyes If wee haue a word to beleeue any thing or to doe any thing although our reason bee vtterly against it though custome though example yet must we followe our direction esteeming the word as our pillar of the cloud by day and our pillar of fire by night to guide all our motions while we are wandring in the wildernesse of this world and euen till we attaine the rest which is prepared for the people of God But vnto the witnesses chosen before of God We reade of many and sundrie sorts of witnesses of Christ his resurrection and therefore it is worth inquirie which of them are here to be vnderstood 1. There was a diuine witnes of the Angels Luk. 24.6 Why seeke yee the liuing among the dead he is not here but is risen Secondly there was a reall witnesse of the Saints that rose againe with him and appeared to many to the ende that they might testifie of his resurrection which wee doubt not but they did both by their appearing and by word of mouth also Thirdly there was a forced testimonie of the souldiers Matth. 28.11 They came into the citie and told all things that were done whos 's first report was a maine proofe of the truth of the thing howsoeuer after they were hired to turne their tongues Fourthly there was the witnesse of the disciples and followers of Christ and this was either priuate or publike The priuate witnesse was of many priuate Christians not onely men but women also who followed Christ who also were by Christ vouchsafed to be the first preachers of it euen vnto the Apostles themselues as we read of Marie Magdalen Marie the mother of Ioses Salome Ioanna and diuerse others Such was the tesâ—â—monie of the two disciples who went betweene Ierusalem and Emaus to whom Christ made himselfe knowne the verie day of his resurrection and yet were no Apostles Thus were many other priuate Christians vndoubted witnesses of the resurrection who no doubt sawe and heard him in many of his apparitions as well as the Apostles themselues in so much as Paul saith that hee was seene of more then fiue hundreth brethren at once But the text is not meant of any of these sorts but restraineth it selfe to the publicke witnesses euen the twelue Apostles who were to carrie the tydings of this with the other Articles of Christian faith throughout the whole world For 1. these witnesses are said to be chosen of God which word is borrowed from the elections of men who were set apart to their seuerall offices by laâ—ing on of mens hands vpon them euen so God laid his hands on these that is Christ immediately by his owne voice called these to be witnesses vnto him which was one of the priuiledges of the Apostles 2. The Apostle in the words expresseth himselfe by limiting them to themselues to vs namely Apostles who eate and drunke with him not only who before his death liued as it were at bed and board with him but after he rose from the dead that wee might not be deceiued in our witnesse of him 3. To vs whom he commanded to preach and testifie namely to the whole world these things together with his comming againe to iudgement Now for the further clearing of this publike witnesse of the Apostles wee will consider three things 1. That these twelue were appointed by Christ himselfe to this witnesse which the Apostle Peter plainly concludeth Act. 1.22 where speaking of one to be elected into Iudas his roome he saith he must be chosen of one of them which haue companied with vs all the time that the Lord Iesus was conversant among vs beginning at the baptisme of Iohn vnto the day that he was taken vp implying that whosoeuer was not thus qualified he was not fit to be made such a publike witnesse with them of his resurrection because to the making of an Apostle was necessarie either an ordinarie conuerse with Christ vpon earth or els an extraordinarie sight of him in heauen by which latter Paul who made an honourable accesse to that number proued himselfe an Apostle The second thing is how they were furnished to this witnesses and this was sundrie wayes 1. by their senses they ate and drunke with him that is were in a familiar sort conuersant with him after he rose againe 2. by word of mouth he gaue them charge and commandement to doe it of both which we are to speake in the text 3. by a Sacrament or signe of breathing vpon them he confirmed them to their vocation saying as my father sent me so I send you 4. by adding thereunto the thing signified for he opened their vnderstandings and made them able to conceiue the Scriptures and vnfold all the mysteries therein so farre as was behoouefull for the Church 5. by bestowing sundrie other great gifts vpon them sending the holy Ghost vpon them in the likenesse of fiery tongues whereby they receiued the gift of toÌ„gues the gift of miracles of casting out Deuills of healing the sicke by imposition of hands of preseruing from poyson and deadly things of the apostolicall rodde whereby death it selfe was at the command of their word either to take place as in Ananias and Saphira both strucke dead with the word of
hee that receiueth them receiueth him hee that refuseth them refuseth him hee by his seruants entreateth men to be reconciled by them hee bindeth and looseth saueth and destroieth Secondly for the necessitie of this ordinance can any denie it who seeth the Sonne of God so carefull before his death after his resurrection and ascension also into heauen to furnish and fit with an extraordinarie measure of the spirit Apostles and Apostolike men for the founding of the Church of the new Testament and not only so but now sitting in his glorie at the right hand of his Father is mindfull of his promise and is with his Church to raise vp successiuely faithfull Pastors and teachers gracing them with varietie of excellent gifts and blessing those gifts for the building vp and repairing of his bodie and the gathering of the Saints of whom as of liuing stones is reared a spirituall house or temple fit for his owne vse But because most men are willingly ignorant of this necessitie of preaching I will a little inlarge it by some reasons 1. Consider the condition of those that are vnconuerted and it will appeare necessarie for them No man was euer saued while he was in his naturall blindnesse no vnbeleeuer could euer get within the gates of the holy Citie no hard hearted or impenitent person could euer so remaining see the life of God Neither was euer any man ordinarily drawne out of this fearefull estate of damnation but by the word of God preached which is the light to the blind eyes the ground of faith for how can they beleeue except they heare and the hammer of the Lord to breake asunder the hardest stones in mens hearts Who were euer begotten to God without this immortall seede and these spirituall Fathers who euer became liuing stones in the building without the hewing and polishing of Gods builders what harvest was euer brought into God without these labourers what soule was euer pulled out of the kingdome of darkenesse and brought to be a member of Gods kingdome but by this meanes The word in this ordinance is called the Gospel of the kingdome of God that is whereby men attaine both the parts of Gods kingdome both that of grace here in this life and that of glorie in the life to come from which effects it is called 1. the word of grace Act. 20.32 2. the Gospell of glorie 1. Tim. 1.11 also the word of reconciliation because hereby sinners are reconciled to God the word of life because it quickneth the dead in sinne the Gospel of peace because it alone pacifieth the conscience and setleth it in the peace of God to conclude The good word because it onely reuealeth Christ who procureth all good vnto beleeuers Who seeth not then the necessitie of preaching seeing none are added to the Church without it Act. 2.41 no spirituall life can be preserued without this feeding Act. 20. no Saints are gathered nor no bodie of Christ built vp without Pastors and Teachers Ephes. 4.11 12. And it pleased not God by any other meanes but by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue such as beleeue Secondly if we consider those that are called to knowledge and faith it will appeare also a most necessarie ordinance in regard of them For 1. seeing a man cannot safely and comfortably passe through any part of the day without the light strength and comfort of the Scriptures it pleased the Lord to set vp this publike ministerie in his Church that euen beleeuers themselues by hearing the Scriptures daily explained obscure places opened by those which are clearer and figuratiue speaches cleared by the proper might attaine not onely to a clearer vnderstanding of the Scriptures but also to haue them printed in their minds and memories so as they might be able to drawe them into continuall vse 2. Euen the best haue nature in them and their daily faylings and without daily repaire growe weake in faith wearie of wel-doing and vnfruitfull in the worke of the Lord. And therefore though they should not need to come to increase their knowledge yet haue they neede to heare their faults controlled to be provoked vnto dutie to be confirmed in their obedience to be strengthened in their faith reformed in their liues comforted in their troubles and spurred to bring every thing to vse and practise and therefore the best may be still disciples and learners in the schoole of Christ. 3. The agreement fellowship of the members of the Church is excellently hereby maintained and preserued not onely by communication of gitfs and graces while some teach and some learne but also while it is a meane to hold them all of a minde whereas without this publike ministerie if euery one were left to his priuate sense and reading it could not but breed corrupt and priuate opinions to the dissoluing of mindes and affections And this special benefit of this publike ordinance the Apostle aimed at Eph. 4.13 Till we all meete together in the vnitie of the faith and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man implying that the scope of the ministerie is to bring and preserue all the members of the Church in this vnitie of faith and knowledg which in this world it cannot doe but so soone as it hath done this it selfe shall cease namely in the life to come He must needes be wilfully blind that espieth not very great necessitie of the word preached for the strengthning of those ioynts and bands whereby beleeuers are knit both vnto the head as also vnto the members Thirdly the necessitie of this ordinance appeareth in that the deuil and wicked of the world haue euer resisted it aboue all other as beeing the greatest enemie vnto his kingdome which maketh him fall downe like lightening in the hearts of men Hence is it that he stirreth vp Iannes and Iambres and all the rable of Egypts inchanters against Moses and setteth all his power against him to prooue him a counterfait Hence is it that hee will not want a Pashur to smite Ieremie nor an Amaziah to doe as much to Amos. Hence raised he vp many armyes against Paul Elymas Alexander Hymeneus and Philetus Diotrephes and Demas and from his mouth he casts out floods of reproachfull and virulent slanders against him that he is a pestilent and seditious fellow that hee speaketh against the law and against the Temple away with such a fellow it is not fit that he shoul◠liue And hath the deuill growne any whit more calme or can hee digest Pauls preaching better since Pauls time no sure he is no changling except because his time is shorter his malice be strōger and more raging I wish Gods faithfull ministers euerie where found it otherwise But to omit other proofes obserue generally the voice of the multitude Where there is no preacher but some poore creature to serue as they say or starue them rather it is wonderfull how well people thinke themselues
that no other would haue answered his question nor setled his conscience now touched with sence of his sinne If hee had sent him to the word that could haue done him no good if hee did not mingle it with faith If to his prayers only the prayer of faith is auaileable If to the Sacraments they must be seales of faith or else doe no more good then seales set to blankes If to a good life it must be the life of faith which the iust must liue by If to the Church to ioyne himselfe to that hee must himselfe be first of the houshold of faith Nay more if to Christ himselfe if hee carrie not faith with him hee is after a sort disabled from doing him any good As hee could doe no great workes in Capernaum because of their vnbeleefe only thy faith in the Sonne of God is the beginning and accomplishment of thy happinesse Adde hereunto that it not only remooueth discomfort but bringeth with it all the â—ound ioy and comfort of our liues whence it is that Christian ioy is called ioy of faith and all the Sonnes of faithfull Abraham tread in their Fathers stepps who saw the day of Christ and reioysed because God hath not only reserued mercie for vs but by the faith which his spirit worketh in our hearts he letteth vs know yea and tast what hee hath done for vs so as hence haue we peace with God and with our owne hearts boldnesse in prayer and not patience only but ioy in sorrow thus giue a man faith once and sinne flieth before him bands of temptations are discomfited afflictions dismay him not death and deadly things are disarmed vnto him faith hath gotten and holdeth Christ his victorie his strength his life yea whilest hee walketh in a thousand deaths the faith of his heart hath filled his soule with that heauenly and spirituall ioy which all the world cannot giue neither can it take away Lastly by this worthy grace of faith we are not only brought into the grace by which we stand receiue increase of it through the communion of Christ his death and resurrection as also the inhabitation of the spirit in our hearts but also we are fitted vnto our glorie for faith assureth euery beleeuer of his saluation and euery beleeuer is kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time 1. Pet. 1.5 Thirdly seeing that this is so speciall a grace of God bestowed but on a few it is worth inquirie by what touchstone a man may know the soundnesse of his faith and that it is much more precious then gold And therefore that a man may not be deceiued in a matter of such moment as this is the Scriptures haue furnished vs with such markes and notes as such who will vse diligence in laying their faith thereunto shall certainely know the truth or vnsoundnesse of it for else why should we be commanded to prooue our selues whether we be in the faith or no vnlesse the beleeuer know that he doth beleeue Againe who be they that know not that Christ is in them but reprobates and can Christ liue in any man and he not know it at one time or other and be able to say with Paul I liue not henceforth but Christ liueth in mee and I know whom I haue beleeued Which if any say Paul might know beeing an Apostle and hauing a reuelation which ordinarie men haue not the same Apostle answereth it 1. Cor. 2.12 when bee ioyneth with himselfe all beleeuers we haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen vs of God Now whosoeuer haue receiued this spirit want not this reuelation who if hee reueale vnto vs any thing that is giuen vs of God then would hee not neglect the greatest gift that euer was giuen vs euen Christ himselfe and life eternall through his name The first marke of sound faith is the seat and dwelling of it and that is an humbled soule that longeth and almost fainteth for Gods mercie in Christ that not feeling faith can bitterly complaine for want of it that striueth against doubting because God hath commanded to beleeue that endauoreth to assent to the promise touching forgiuenesse of sinne with purpose to sinne no more this holy seede is sowne in no other ground but this The second marke are the essentiall properties of sound faith and they are three in number 1. It is most pliable to the word of which it is begotten the Iayler as soone as hee was conuerted would but know of the Apostles what hee might doe it will except against nothing that the word enioyneth it will picke no quarrells but with Abraham riseth early to obey God when if hee had reasoned with flesh and blood hee could haue excepted many things which all the wisedome of flesh could neuer haue answered This is that the Apostle ascribeth vnto it that it establisheth the whole law yea the whole word of God the Law and Gospel by prouoking to cheerefull indeauour in the obedience of them both 2. Sound faith being a subsistance it enableth a man to stand vnder a great burden and not be crusht Psal. 46.2 Therefore we will not feare though the earth be mooued Iob will not let his hold goe if the Lord should smite off his hand yea if hee kill him hee will trust still it resteth vpon Gods arme and truth in all estates in life and death whereas euery crosse puffe of winde of temptation or affliction vnsetleth yea and sinketh the vnbeleeuer 3. It beeing a subsistance of things not seene it careth not how little it see the lesse it seeth the more it beleeueth and the lesse it seeth of men and meanes the more it seeth of God It seeth an Almightie promiser who can doe what he will It seeth him that is true of his word who cannot lie and who cannot but doe what he hath said It seeth a mercifull and louing Sauiour whose eyes are vpon them that trust in his mercie and seeing these it seeth enough Besides it estrangeth the heart from the world which it seeth and seeketh an vnseene countrie Abraham Isaac and Iacob acknowledged themselues rather strangers in this world then inhabitants and that they came into it rather to see it and goe through it then dwell or set vp their rest in it It weigneth the heart from the things belowe as the woman at the well once meeting with Christ she forgetteth her waterpot What careth Zacheus for halfe his goods yea or all wheÌ„ Christ once becommeth his ghest and bringeth saluation to his house And on the contrarie it sendeth vp the heart to those treasures which the eye of flesh cannot see but are reserued to the seekers of the countrie where they are And these are the three worthy properties whereby