wee beleeve and this Faith is matter of Experience wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God It is sufficient that that faith which wee doe beleeve is contained in the Scriptures Now whereas they object that we make it a thirteenth Article their fourteenth Apostle adds to these twelve many more articles of faith which he inforceth to be beleeved with the same necessity of faith as these twelve neither hath he onely entred upon Christs prerogative in minting new articles of faith but likewise they have usurped over all Christian Churches by adding Romane to the Catholike Church in the Creed A bold imposture But for speciall faith the maine office of the Holy Spirit is In opening generall Truths to reveale our particular interest in those Truths and to breed special Faith whereby we make them our owne because the Spirit of God reveales the minde of God to every particular Christian for as the things beleeved are truths above nature so the Grace of faith whereby we beleeve is a grace above Nature and created as a supernaturall eye in the Soule to see supernaturall truths Secondly Where sacred truths are truely apprehended there the Spirit workes an impression in the soule sutable to the things beleeved every Article hath a power in it which the Spirit doth imprint upon the Soule The Beleefe of God to be the Father Almighty breeds an impression of dependance reverence and comfort The Beleefe and knowledge of Christ crucified is a crucifying knowledge The true knowledge and faith in Christ rising is a raising knowledge the knowledge of the Abasement of Christ is an abasing knowledge because faith sees it selfe one with Christ in both states We cannot truly beleeve what Christ hath wrought for us but at the same time the Spirit of Christ worketh something in us Thirdly it is convenient for the giving of due honour to every person to consider of the worke appropriated to every one all come from the Father all are exactly performed by the Son in our nature for the Redemption of those that the Father hath given Him The Gathering out of the world of that blessed society which we call the Church into an holy Communion and the Sanctifying of it and Sealing unto it all the priviledges believed as Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life everlasting c. proceed from the Holy Ghost Fourthly it hath pleased the great God to enter into a Treaty and covenant of agreement with us his poore creatures the articles of which agreement are here comprized God for his part undertakes to convey all that concernes our happinesse upon our receiving of them by beleeving on him Every one in particular that recites these articles from a spirit of faith makes good this condition and this is that answer of a good conscience which Peter speakes of whereby being demanded what our faith is every one in particular answeres to every Article I beleeve I not onely understand and conceive it but assent unto it in my judgement as true and consent to it in my will as good and build my comfort upon it as good too me this act of Beleefe carries the whole soule with it Fifthly though it is wee that answer yet the power by which wee answer is no lesse than that whereby God created the world and raised Christ from the dead The answer is ours but the power and strength is Gods whereby wee answere who performes both his part and ours too in the covenant It is a higher matter to beleeve than the common sort thinke it For this answer of Faith to these truths as it is caused by the power of Gods Spirit so is it powerfull to answer all temptations of Satan all seducements of the world all terrours of conscience from the wrath of God and the curse of the Law it setteth the soule as upon a rocke above all Sixthly these Articles are a touchstone at hand to try all opinions by for crooked things are discernded by bringing them to the rule what directly or by immediate and neere consequence opposeth these is to bee rejected as contrary to the platforme of wholesome doctrine That one monster of opinions of the bread turned into the body of Christ by transubstantiation overthrowes at once foure Articles of the Creed The incarnation of Christ Ascension Sitting at the Right hand of God and comming to judgment for if Christs body be so often made of a peece of bread being in so many places at once here upon earth how can all these Articles be true Againe seventhly these grounds of Faith have likewise a speciall influence in direction and incouragement unto all Christian duties A holy life is but the infusion of holy truths Augustine saith well non bene vivitur ubi bene de Deo non creditur men of an ill beleefe cannot be of a good life wherupon the Apostles method is to build their exhortations to Christian duties upon the grounds of Christian Faith But we must remember that as faith yeelds a good life and conscience so a conscience is the vessell to preserve the Doctrine of Faith else a shipwracke of faith will follow If there bee a delighting in unrighteousnesse there will not be a love of the truth and if we love not the truth then there will be a preparednesse to beleeve any lye and that by Goâ— just judgement 2 Thes 2. 12. Eighthly as these fundamentall truths yeeld strength to the whole frame of a Christian life So they are so many springs and wels of consolation for Gods people to draw-from whereupon that good Prince George Anhalt whom Luthers time became a Preacher of the Gospell intending to comfort his brother Prince Iohn raiseth his comfort from the last three Articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the body and Life Everlasting which as they have their strength from the former Articles are able to raise any drooping spirit and therefore in the greatest agonies it is the readiest way to suck comfort from these benefits But I omit other things intending onely to say something by way of Preface And thus Good Reader I commend this worke unto thee and both it and thee to Gods blessing Thine in the Lord R. SIBBS AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREED SERMON I. ROM 3. 28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the deeds of the Law AS the Children of Israel having sojourned long enough in Horeb were by Gods speaking to Moses commanded to remove thence and goe further off Deut. 6. So in some sort I may say we having in our ordinarie course gone through divers necessary points of Religion as the Lords Praier Repentance c. must now go on further to speake of the Doctrine of Faith a large and great Field ful of knowledge and exceeding comfort wherefore I shall have so much the more need to be helpâ— on by your prayers as my weaknesse and inhabilitie is unfit for so great
stirre at the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking unto them but once and therefore how shall this condemne us that Christ hath spoken so many times and yet wee doe not once stirre or move at it which are living men to goe about our businesse therefore this shall condemne us that the dead cinders of men that have lien in their graves many a yeare shall startle and move at one voyce of Christ and yet wee doe not at a thousand of his voyces Fourthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God wee must take heed we doe not despise him Psal 2. it is said Kisse the Sonne lest hee bee angry O labour to kisse him seeke his favour do not grieve him woe be to him that shall lift up his hand against him to grieve him 1 Cor. 8. 12. Saith the Apostle Now when ye sinne so against the brethren and wound their weake consciences ye sinne against Christ therefore we must take heed wee doe not sinne against our brethren and so sinne against Christ for the sinnes of us Christians more grieve Christ than the sinnes of the world because wee professe he is our Lord and Master and will bee ruled and governed by him and be his servants therfore in this case when a man sinneth against him it is more than the sinne of a stranger or an alien Wee see in the Scripture how Christ complaines One of you shall betray me but wee be to him that doth it and when Iudas came to betray him he saith To what end art thou come art thou come to betray me As if he had said Why thou art a disciple of mine thou professest that thou art my servant and that I am thy Lord and Master and doest thou come to betray me so Ioh. 1. it is said Hee came amongst his owne but his owne received him not if he had come amongst strangers and aliens and had been so used by them the matter had been the lesse but seeing he came amongst his owne and they received him not this it was that did grieve Christ the more so Hosea 4. 12. God complaines My people aske counsell of their stockes and their staffe declareth unto them Wells beloved let us take this to heart when a prophane man liveth in his sinnes impenitent what doth Christ hee doth not so complaine of them But when a Christian shall live in sinne uncleanesse maliciousnesse or deceite this it is that grieveth Christ and maketh him to complaine Fifthly seeing Christ is the onely Sonne of God we must shew the greater measure of thankefulnesse to him for who can sufficiently speake of his goodnesse that he being the onely Sonne of God and God over all would abase himselfe to take our nature upon him and dye for us We have heard of the love of Rebecca to her sonne Iacob when shee gave him counsell to goe to his father to get the blessing hee was afraid his father would have felt and handled him and so in stead of a blessing he might have procured a curse but shee bids him not to feare it On mee bee the curse my sonne if there be any comfort on thee be the blessing but on me be the curse Such and farre greater is the Love of Christ to us he saith On me be the curse my people but if there bee any good or any blessing or comfort to be had by my sufferings or paines on you be the blessing therefore seeing Christ hath made such a change with us who can render sufficient thankefulnesse to him for it Nehem. 11. wee see the people blessed those that would dwell at Ierusalem because it was a dangerous place Now if this people thanked them that would dwell with them hazard and venture their lives O how thankefull ought we to bee unto Christ who hath given his life for us and therefore how are we bound in all love and thankefulnesse to him The late powder treason that was in the yeere of our Lord 1605. the delivery from it is a fruit and benefit we have by Christ and therefore it was carefully and religiously provided of our Magistrates to set apart a day to give thankes in a service to be performed for it for he hath not onely delivered our soules but also our bodies from the jawes of hell Now I come to speake of His dominion which is the second thing in the dignity of His Person our Lord wherein two things are to bee considered 1. That he is the Lord of the World 2. That he is our Lord. First hee is the Lord of the whole world and hath all kingdomes at his command Luk. 1. 33. And hee shall raigne over the house of Iacob for ever and of his kingdome there shall bee no end so Act. 2. 3. Let the house of Israel say and know that God hath made him both Lord and Christ Now Christ is the Lord of the world in two regards First in regard of the Soveraignty that is in himselfe he hath all power under him to dispose of at his will and pleasure as Matth. 11. 27. All things are given me of my father both the possession and the disposition of them and Act 2. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feete so Luk. 10. 17. And the seventy returned againe with joy saying Lord even the devils are subdued to us through thy name All things are subject to him he is the great Lord of the world Secondly hee is the Lord of this world in regard of service for all things doe serve him whatsoeuer Psal 119. 91. They continue to this dayly by thine ordinances for all thy servants therefore seeing there is nothing but doth service to him he is the Lord of this world Now there is a double service a service which the godly and a service which the wicked performe there is a voluntary service which the godly performe and unvoluntary which the wicked performe as the Axe in the hand of the hewer doth service voluntary so doe the wicked when they doe any service to God they doe it by constraint unwillingly all things doth service unto God either willingly or by constraint for wee cannot stirre a foote or a hand or doe any thing but it is by the appointment of God It is a good saying of Augustine Now grant Lord saith he that we may doe the good service for whether wee bee willing or not willing we shall serve thee thy providence and hidden will if we serve thee unwillingly then we serve thee like slaves but grant Lord that wee may serve thee willingly and voluntarily as thy children ought to serve thee and thine owne people And thus Christ is the Lord of the world The use is first seeing Christ is the Lord of the world it shall bee well with the Church and the members thereof and as Christ is the Lord so hee will order every thing to the good of them in Psal 96. 10. it is said The
sanctified from the impurity of our birth by the birth of Christ Secondly to fulfill the prophesies made of him as Esai 7. 14. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne and shall call his name Emanuel c. So Gen. 3. 15. God promiseth that The seede of the Woman shall breake the head of the serpent therefore when there was such a seede of a Woman that came without the helpe of man it appeared this was the partie that God had assigned for the breaking of the serpents head and this is the note or marke that God hath given whereby the Messias the Saviour of the world might be knowne This was not onely the love of God to send Christ into the world to save us but to set visible markes and notes upon him that so we might know him wee read Gen. 4. 15. The Lord set a marke upon Caine and Exod. 12. the doore posts were sprinkled with the bloud of the Pascall Lambe that so the Augell of destruction might passe over them so also in Ezekiel those were marked which did mourne for the sinnes of the people that they might not be destroyed but preserved in like manner God hath set a visible marke upon Christ that he might be discerned therefore seeing God hath set visible markes and notes upon Him that we may know him we must so receive and so accept of Him Thirdly that the strangenesse of his birth might awaken and stirre up the world to looke for strange things by his life which was the reason why some of the holy people had such strange births as Isaac Iaakob Moses Samuel Sampson and Iohn Baptist that the strangenesse of their birth might awake he world and stirre them up to looke for extraordinary matters in their lives so Christ had a rare birth that hee might awaken and stirre up the world to looke for strange things by his life as at the Shepheards relation when they had published the things that they had seene by the Childe the people wondered so wee should wonder at the rarenesse of his birth for there bee strange things in the birth of Christ that hee must be sent to earth to bring us to Heaven that Hee who was uncorruptible must be made corruptible to make us uncorruptible that he must be made the Sonne of a Woman that we might be made the sonnes of God The Vses shall bee two First for instruction seeing Christ was borne of a Virgin without the helpe of man therefore that which is impossible by the course of nature is possible by the power of God it was impossible by the power of nature that ever Christ should bee borne of the Virgin without the helpe of man but it was possible to God Wee see in Sarah it was impossible in nature that she should beare a childe in her old age when her wombe was dead and yet it was possible by the power of God so Moses when hee strucke the rocke with his staffe that it gushed water one would have thought rather that it would have given out fire but that which was impossible to be effected by nature was possible by the power of God so likewise we read 2 King 7. when there was a dearth in Samaria Elisha prophesied of a great plenty which one Prince who did heare it was so farre from beleeving that he said it was impossible it should bee although the windowes of heaven should be opened indeede to nature it was but not to God Now this must be the rest and stay of a Christian in other hard cases in nature it is a thing impossible that euer one that is dead and rotten should rise againe but it is possible by the power of God so art thou weake though it bee impossible for a weake and fraile man to withstand the temptations of the devill yet know the power of God is able to make thee strong to overcome the devill remember therfore the power of God in all his promises hast thou a promise that if thou doe repent and beleeve thou shalt bee saved that he will lay no more upon thee than thou art able to beare that he will raise up thy body at the last day Consider that which is impossible to nature is possible to the power of God as the Apostle saith He is able to make all grace abound in us Secondly seeing Christ was borne of a Virgin so he must be spiritually borne in our hearts and consciences for I have shewed you before as Christ must be spiritually conceived in the heart of a Christian so also he must be borne for it is nothing to know that Christ was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin and to be borne of her unlesse thou know also Christ to be spiritually conceived and borne in thy heart therfore as Augustine saith What shall it profit mee to know that Christ is come in the flesh that hee was conceived in the wombe of the Virgin and borne of her unlesse I know Christ to bee conceived in my flesh and borne in my heart and soule so that it is not enough to have Christ conceived in our hearts unlesse hee bee borne and brought forth in us there bee a number that as it were conceive Christ that have good motions and good desires but they doe not bring them forth Christ is not borne in them and therefore they die But we must labour to bring him forth in our lives and in our actions We read of a wonder in Heaven Revel 12. 1. the Church is described to be travelling in paine to bring forth Christ so every Christian must travell bee in paine and bring Him forth in his life and in his actions wee must goe to Bethlem with the shepheards to finde Christ and when wee have found him wee must take him and make our hearts the cradle or cratch to lay Christ in and say as the Apostle Paul saith The life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Sonne of God The next thing is that hee was borne of the Virgin Mary wherein two things are to be considered 1. Of what stocke shee came 2. What was her estate First for her stocke she came of the stocke and lineage of David as Matth. 1. 20. In Luk. 2. 4. it is said That Ioseph also went up from Galilee a city of Nazareth unto Iudea unto the city of David which is called Bethlem because he was of the house and Lineage of David Ioseph and Mary both sprang from hence Matthew hee sets downe how Ioseph came of the race and line of David Saint Luke shewes how Mary came of David and both to this end to shew that Christ is the Sonne of David according to the flesh and therefore the true Messiah and Saviour of the world for the true Messiah was to come of the house and line of David this we must beleeve and confesse him to bee the true Messias and Saviour as the blinde men in
in Matthew the devils inquire of Christ Art thou come to torment us before our time the presence of Christ was a torment to the devils so if thou hast a bad conscience his comming and presence will be a trouble to thee when others shall receive comfort by it it will be a terrour to thee What was the reason the Iewes were troubled at the birth of Christ we see Herod had a bad conscience this troubled him but why were they troubled he was their Saviour and redeemer Zech. 9. 9. it is said Rejoyce greatly O Daughter of Sion shout O Daughter of Ierusalem Behold thy King commeth unto thee c. I answere they thought that Christ would not come into his kingdome but it would cost much hardship there would bee much trouble about it therefore rather than they would lose their worldly â—ase or peace they would lose Christ This is the sinne of the world still that if the Gospell hinder their worldly ease or peace they had rather lose Christ and the Gospell than lose their ease and peace so Iohn 11. 47. the Iewes holding a councell together how to kill Christ because they were afraid they should lose their worldly ease say they If we follow this man the Romans will come and take away our kingdome and our nation so that wee may see they had rather lose Christ than lose their worldly ease and peace Of which sinne let us by their example and ruine learne to shunne and beware of the like practise which hath justly brought so long-lasting miserie upon them SERM. XII MATTHEW 2â— 7 8 9. Then Herod when hee had privily called the Wisemen inquired of them diligently what time the Starre appeared And hee sent them to Bethlehem and said Goe and search diligently for the young Childe and when ye have found Him bring mee word againe that I may come and worship Him also When they had heard the King they departed c. THe next thing that I should shew you is how Herod made way out of his trouble for of his trouble you have lately heard First hee calleth the Scribes and Pharisees together to know the place where he should be borne secondly hee inquired of the Wisemen the place and time when he should be borne thirdly when he knew the place and time when Christ should be borne he thought to have killed him so to ease himselfe and make way out of all his trouble but the Lord kept him from touching his person so the wicked and vile men of the world when they be in trouble make way out of it by bad meanes wicked devises coozening and such like The second thing observed was the effects of the inquiry in the Wisemen wherein three things are to be observed 1. The endevour of the Wisemen 2. The blessing of God upon their endevour 3. With what affection they received it First the endevour of the Wisemen when they could not finde Christ at Ierusalem they set themselves upon good advice to seeke him elsewhere they departed from thence though there were two things that might have hindred them 1. Their bad successe 2. The bad example they saw The first thing that might have hindered them was the bad successe they had of their journey for they thought surely to have heard of him at Ierusalem but there was no speech of him yet for all that they departed from thence set themselves with good advice to seeke Christ which may teach us howsoever we finde a bad successe on our holy labours at the first yet to goe on although we cannot finde mortification for our sinnes and such a blessing upon our holy labours as we desire yet let us goe on and set our selves upon good courses still to waite on God till he give us good successe so we see the Church doth Psalm 123. 2. Behold as the eyes of servants looke unto the hand of their masters and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistresse so our eyes waite upon the Lord our God untill he have mercy on us Shee resolves although thou dost not this day nor the next nor the next yet wee will waite on thee till thou shew mercy in like manner we are exhorted Gal. 6. 9. Let us not be weary of well doing for in due time we shall reape if we faint not Therefore the bad successe wee may have must not hinder us for Cantic 3. 1. when the Church had lost Christ Shee sought him in her bed by night where when She could not finde him she gets her out into the lanes and streets shee inquires of the watchmen and although Shee meetes with many discouragements yet Shee never gives over untill She finde Christ and make him sure to her selfe so must we doe if wee doe not finde good successe on our holy labours nor finde Christ at first let us never give over till we have found him and so make him sure It is the impatience of the world that if they cannot finde a blessing upon them at first they will seeke no farther and it was the fault of the Iewes Hag. 1. when they went to build the Temple and were hindred having no good successe in their labours they gave over but it was their sinne they were reprooved for it so David in the 1 Chron. 13. when hee would have brought the Arke of God to his citie the Lord was angry with Vzzah and killed him therefore David was afraide to bring the Arke of God to his owne city but it was his fault and a great weakenesse therefore it must bee our care although God doe not answere us according as wee desire yet to goe on still and never give over untill wee have found his blessing upon us Gen. 26. 19. It is said that Isaaks servants digged in the vale and found a fountaine of living water it may be they digged a fadome and found none it may bee two fadome it may bee three it may bee six and yet found no water but they digged still at the last they found a fountaine of living water so wee may seeke comfort and it may be we shall not finde it this day nor the next day yet let us not give over but goe on still for at last we shall finde a fountaine of comfort Secondly that which might have hindered them was the bad example they saw for the Scribes and Pharisees were learned men skilfull in the Law of God and yet not one of them turned a foote to seeke Christ nor were mooved and yet for all this these Wisemen departed away to seeke Christ which may teach us not to rest on the bad example of any man let him be what he will for though they seeke not Christ nor stirre one foote to finde him yet let us goe on to finde Christ Wee read Mark 5. 18. the man out of whom the devill was cast when others desired him to depart the country he desired to tarry with him still hee
they should so when thou shalt see Christ rise in great power and shalt see great glory put upon him if thou hast not kept him under three dayes together only but many dayes how wilt thou quake and tremble seeing thou hast not better attended nor regarded him Thirdly An Angell came and ministred unto him which did roule away the stone terrifie the souldiers comfort the women here we may see the wicked they roule a stone upon Christ to keepe him downe but the Angels take it away they minister unto Christ which may be a comfort to Christians that as the Angels ministred unto Christ so they shall doe service to them they shall take away the stone dig away the earth and moulds to pull them out of their graves that they may come joyfully forth and be made partakers of everlasting life as Matth. 25. Christ saith that he will send forth his Angels to gather together his Elect from the foure corners of the earth to digge them out of the earth to pull them out of their graves that they may stand comfortably before God at the last day And there is a further comfort we shall have by the Angels for they shall not onely helpe us out of the graves but they shall also helpe us out of trouble as we see when Peter was in prison Acts. 12. it is said And the Angell of God brought him out and set him in safetie so also Daniel being cast into the Lions den the Lord sent his Angell to stoppe their mouthes in like manner when Sodome was destroyed the Lord sent an Angell to bring Lot forth and his wife who tooke Lot by the one hand and his wife by the other and brought them out of the citie so the Angels doe not onely helpe us out of our graves but doe also helpe us out of troubles The second speciall thing in the manner of Christs resurrection was That when he rose he left all the sinnes of mortalitie and death he stripped himselfe of all the grave-clothes and left them behinde him and Saint Iohn saith Ioh. 20. 7. that when the women came to the Sepulchre all the grave-clothes were foulded up and laid in a place whereof there bee two Reasons First that it might be an evidence to the Iewes to convince them for they had given mony to the souldiers to say his Disciples came by night and stole him away Now it is like that if they had stollen away his bodie much more they would have taken away the fine linnen sheets hee was wrapped in and again if they had stollen away the body of Christ they would not have laid up the linnen handsomely they durst not have tarried to doe it for in a feare men doe not things handsomely but ill favouredly therefore this is an evidence to convince the Iewes that the body of Christ was not stollen away Secondly to teach us that when we rise to the life of grace that we should leave all the sins of mortality and death behinde us all the grave-clothes that is all our vile sinnes and old corruptions that we have long lived in There be many that creepe out of the grave as it were get out of ignorance but because they be not wise to shake off the sins and corruptions they have lived in have drawne them to themselves and have not left behinde them the signes and markes of mortalitie and death therefore are not yet conformable to the rising of Christ It is the Apostle Pauls exhortation Put off the old man and put on the new ye that would rise with Christ leave your old sinnes and your corruptions there be many that rise to the profession of the Gospell who still keepe on the grave-clothes they will sweare lye make no conscience of their wayes and deale deceitfully such are not stripped of their grave-clothes but Christ when he rose he left all the grave-clothes behinde him so if we will be conformable to him we must leave all as he did behinde us Thirdly The Company Christ rose with hee rose not alone but a great many did attend him as wee may reade Matth. 27. 52. though Christ died alone yet he did not rise alone but he rose with a multitude to accompany him to teach us that his resurrection appertaines to us one day all wee shall rise by the same power that these did at his first resurrection therefore all the people of God must labour to establish their hearts in this that one day they shall rise out of their graves by the power of Christ for Christ did not rise alone but with a great company As in a shipwracke one swims out and labours to draw all his fellowes out with him so Christ rising out of the grave did draw all his members out with him We see in nature if the head be above water so long the body cannot be drowned so seeing our body is risen and our head is above wee shall not sinke or lye still but shall be raised up againe It is an undeniable truth that others have risen out of their graves but there was great difference in their rising and Christs The dead man when hee touched Elias bones Lazarus when hee had beene three or foure dayes in the grave the widdow of Naim's sonne when hee was in the coffin and Eutichus when he fell out of a window when these rose never a cloud did stir about them and they rose alone by Christs power as also to die againe but Christ did rise with a number and multitude with him by his owne power and that never to die againe which doth shew there is a great difference in their rising he rose with a great many to shew his rising pertaines to a great many for hee rose not as a private but as a publike person for the good of many and to shew there is a communicative power in his rising from the dead SERMON XXXI MATTH 27. 52 53. And the graves were opened and many bodies of Saints that slept arose And came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the Holy Citie and appeared unto many IN the manner of Christs rising we may observe that although Christ died alone hee did not rise alone but had a multitude to rise with him which was to shew that Christ did not rise as a private man or person but representing the persons of all the Church for as Christ rose so we shall rise hee rose not alone but with a number of Saints communicating life and glory to them therefore howsoever the Saints die as others yet they shall rise againe All the people of God must be perswaded of this that there is a power in Christ to draw and to pull them out of the grave for as even now I shewed in a shipwracke if one swims out to the land hee doth his best to draw all his fellowes to the shore so Christ escaping out of the dens of
sanctified graces In other cities there be markets for the body but in this citie the Lord keepes open market with spirituall graces to furnish our soules and therefore thirdly herein this citie excels all other cities in the world Fourthly in many other cities there be many other liberties and immunities all these immunities are but to free them from toyle and tribute but the Church of God doth not thus free men for Christ himselfe payed tribute Matth. 17. 27. and Paul exhorts us Rom. 13. 7. Give unto all men therefore their dues tribute to whom yee owe tribute custome to whom custome The Church of God doth not free men from taxes and tributes due to earthly powers and Potentates but from the bondage of sinne from the accusations of an evill conscience from the Devill and from Hell Thus Iohn 8. 36. saith Christ If the Sonne make you free yee shall bee free indeed And Gal. 4. 26. saith the Apostle But Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all A man may bee a citizen of a great citie and yet lye in bondage to sinne and the Devill bee a slave to his lusts and be troubled with the accusation of an evill conscience But if a man bee a citizen of this citie hee shall bee free from sinne the Devill Hell the accusation of a bad conscience and from his wild lusts therefore in the fourth place this citie excels all other cities in the world The uses are First seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore wee should account it a marvellous blessing that it pleaseth God to make us citizens of this citie as Ruth 2. 12. Boaz said unto Ruth the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward bee given unto thee of the God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust So happy is the man over whom the Lord doth spread the wings of his love Wee see Psal 84. Davids affection that hee had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the Tents of wicked men hee had rather bee a meane man and a true member of the Church than to bee a great wicked man Therefore wee may bee sure that it is a greater blessing to bee a poore man and a member of the Church than to bee a great rich man in the world and no true member of the Church Secondly seeing the citie of God excels all the cities of the world therefore every man must have care to hold communion with it and take heed hee doe not suffer the Devill to draw him away from it because God dwells there by the presence of his Spirit Peter could say to Christ Ioh. 6. 68. Master to whom shall wee goe thou hast the words of eternall life heere is fulnesse of joy here is comfort to bee had and therefore howsoever others start out let us hold to it Thirdly seeing the citie of God excels all other cities therefore it must bee our care to live like such citizens Hath God made thee a citizen of such a citie live then happy man like such a citizen conforme thy selfe to the lawes of it and walke worthy of this heavenly citie The author to the Hebrews maketh the same use of it Hebr. 12. 22. But saith hee yee are come unto the Mount Zion and to the citie of the living God c. And therefore see that yee despise not him that speaketh for if they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth much more shall not wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven You bee of the citie of God and therefore doe not you live like the vild men of the world in your sinnes and corruptions but live like Saints and citizens of such a citie thus much of the first dignitie that the Church is called the citie of God because there is the presence of God in grace The second Dignitie of the Church of God is that it is called the body of Christ now there is a naturall body of Christ which hath parts and ligaments as our bodies have hands and feete c. And there is a mysticall body of Christ which are the company of true beleevers which are made one with Christ by faith through the communion of the Spirit which mysticall body is more deare to Christ than his naturall body for hee gave his naturall body to die for his mysticall body and to redeeme it the Church is this mysticall body as 1 Cor. 12. 27. now yee are the body of Christ and members in particular so Coloss 1. 14. Now I rejoyce in my sufferings and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church So then the Church of God is the bodie of Christ whence ariseth divers consequents First that hee is the onely head of the Church and no other but hee as Ephes 1. 22. saith the Apostle of Christ And hath made all things subject under his feete and hath appointed him over all things to bee the head of the Church so Colos 1. 18. hee is the head of the bodie of the Church for as the head ruleth the bodie so Christ rules his mysticall body Now that Christ is the onely head of the Church it may bee seen in three things First because the grace of God is most eminent in him for as life is most eminent in the head so the graces of God are most eminent in him hee excells all men and Angels therfore the Apostle saith Colos 1. 19. that it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell Secondly because of the neere conjunction that is between the head and the members the naturall head may bee parted with a blow from the body but the Devill and all the damned cannot part Christ and his mysticall body Thirdly in regard of ministration for as the head doth communicate life and motion unto the body so Christ doth the life of grace and the Spirit So it is a Royaltie onely belonging to the head not to Archangell nor Angell therefore away with the Pope The second consequent is that seeing Christ is head of the Church therefore as the head communicates life and motion into the body so from Christ flowes spirituall life and grace into the Church there is never a true member but Christ communicates life and grace unto him therefore every true Christian must feele a derivation of grace and spirituall life in him every one that would have true comfort must feele this and to say as Saint Paul doth Galath 2. 20. Thus I live yet not I now but Christ liveth in mee and in that I now live in the flâ—sh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God who hath loved mee and given himselfe for mee Wee see if a man hath any member that hangs dead and numb'd