a learned man saith there be two crucifiers There bee invisible and visible crucifiers the visible crucifiers are the Iewes the invisible are the people of all ages Wherefore seeing our sinnes have brought Christ to his death we should the more hate and detest them Augustine saith If a man should kill father or mother would we let him lie in our bosomes set him at our table let him be in our houses No we would hate abhorre and never abide him why man saith he thy sinnes have not killed thy father and thy mother only but thy Lord and Master one that hath done more for thee than all the world besides wherefore then wilt thou let sinne lye in thy bosome wilt thou nourish it and entertaine it still nay rather hate detest and spit at it Fourthly The end why Christ suffered was either generall to bring us home to God or particular to reconcile us to him and to abolish sinne The Generall end was to bring us to God that we might have communion and fellowship with him for all our happinesse consists in this bringing us to God and all our misery in this that we be strangers from him for by the reason of our sinnes we have no communion with him as Adam was cast out of Paradise so we be all cast from the presence of God and as he ranne away from Gods presence hid himselfe and could not abide it so we are all runne away from God we cannot abide his presence nor stand before God nor speake unto him but Christ hath suffered to this end to bring us unto him and hath appeased his anger so that now he doth looke after us and we may be bold to goe to him and speake to him in prayer Here we may observe three things First that we be strangers from God and dare not come into his presence but are abashed to stand before him or speake unto him before Christ hath carried and presented us to him As in Gen. 47. 2. when Iacob was come into Aegypt to see Ioseph he presented five of his brethren with his father Iacob to King Pharaoh because he was a stranger so seeing we be strangers from God who did not know us the true Ioseph doth present us unto him I but doth not God know us Doth he not know the creatures that he hath made This is a heavie thing that God should not know us To this I answer that sinne hath put upon us such a fearfull ugly face and so deformed that God doth not acknowledge us to be the creatures he made at first therefore the true Ioseph doth bring us to God and present us in his bloud saying O Father accept of them these be they for whose sake I was nine moneths in the dark wombe of the Virgin borne in a stable laid in a manger these be they for whose sakes I died that same cursed death on the crosse Father for my sake accept them and let my paines be their ease my shame their glory my death their life and my condemnation their absolution so that it is Christ that bringeth us home unto God which is the generall end of his sufferings In Ephes 2. 12. it is said Remember that at that time yee were without Christ being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world but now in Christ Iesus yee who sometimes were afarre off are made nigh to him by the blood of Christ so it is the great price that Christ hath paid for us that brings us into favour with God even his most precious blood Secondly herein we may see the marvellous love of Christ that hee would bring us home to God and into favour againe and that not with a word speaking but by dying and suffering for us it had beene a great love of Christ if he had but spoke for us although he had done no more but what a great love was this to suffer such great things that it cost him his life and blood hee was not at rest till he had wrought our redemption as Luk. 12. 15. saith he But I have a Baptisme to be baptized with and how am I straightned till it be accomplished And hee did it not by speaking for us but he did it by dying and suffering for us Exod 32. 32. saith Moses pleading for the people Yet now if thou wilt forgive their sinne thy mercy shall appeare But if not blot me I pray thee out of thy booke which thou hast written So saith Christ Father spare thy people or else wipe me out of the land of the liuing let my life goe for theirs spare them and take me Psal 40. 6 7. wee see that it is not the blood of calves and of goates and beasts that can redeeme us but Christ knew it must bee a more precious blood that must doe it and therefore doth hee offer his owne blood and saith take my life and my blood and let my people goe free Hence wee may see the marvelous love of Christ that hee did not redeeme us by speaking but by suffering and dying for us therefore seeing he loved us we should be content to love againe and to doe any thing that he requires of us Saint Andrew when he was charged of the Gentiles that he did not love their gods he made this answer Let me see if your gods can make mee such a heaven and earth and doe so much for me as my God hath done then I will love your gods but if they cannot then they are not to bee respected nor regarded so wee may say to our vile lusts and to our sinnes if ye can doe so much for me as Christ hath done then I will bestow my love upon you but if you cannot then you are not to be regarded nor respected He shall have my heart that hath done these great things for me Thirdly seeing Christ hath suffered to bring us to God wee must take heede we doe not defeate him of his labour which we doe if we hang still in our sinnes Deut. 24. 15. The Lord accounts the retaining and keeping of the labourers hire a great and grievous sinne even a crying sinne let us consider this that Christ hath laboured for us not for our meate nor money but to bring us to God to repentance and to heaven but if we hang still in our sinnes and doe not repent us of them nor bee brought home to God we defeate him and will not let him have for his labour what hee hath travelled for as it is said Esai 5. 31. Hee shall see of the travell of his soule and shall bee satisfied Christ hath travelled but to what end to bring us to God to Repentance to faith in Christ to make us conscionable in our courses this will satisfie him but if men be not brought home unto God if they doe not repent walke conscionably in
before him clothed with our sinnes this made him afraid Secondly He was afraid of death which was neere at hand Now he was not afraid of death as it was a dissolution of nature a separation of the soule from the body but as it was joyned with the curse of God But let us consider these two causes of his feare a little better and we shall finde good matter of instruction in them First he was afraid to stand before God in judgement clothed and apparelled with our sinnes this was a strange thing that he which was the Sonne of God and the brightnesse of the glory of God should now be afraid to stand before God Now if he were afraid how much more may we be to stand before God in judgement to come before him in prayer to appeare in his holy presence If the Sonne of God was afraid then much more may we Indeed if we have repented for our sinnes carried them over unto Christ and doe beleeve in him then we may boldly stand before God in judgement and come before him in prayer and approch into his holy presence when we may say as David doth Psalm 26. Prove me O Lord and trie my wayes but if we have not repented of our sins nor carried them unto the shoulders of Christ if we doe not beleeve in him then we have just cause to be afraid Gen. 3. When Adam had committed but one sinne he was afraid to come before God in judgement and therefore hid himselfe If Adam was so afraid when he had committed but one sinne how much more should we be to come before him having committed many great and grievous sinnes therefore howsoever we may carry away the matter closely and be quiet in our consciences for a time yet if God should but bring his judgements upon us or death so that we come to appeare before God then we shall quake and tremble as Dan. 5. we see Belshazzar did who whilest he was making himselfe merry drinking and abusing the holy vessels of God and the hand-writing did but appeare on the wall quaked exceedingly so that his countenance was changed his thoughts troubled the joynts of his loynes were loosed his knees smote one against another Even so howsoever the wicked may be at peace and quiet a little while yet if God set up a throne of judgement then they will quake and be afraid to come before him In the Revelation we may see how the brave fellowes and gallant lads of this world and the great captaines howsoever they could carry away the matter and be at quiet for a little time when God sets up a tribunall seat to judge them they runne into caves and dens and desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon them to hide them from the presence of God So howsoever we may be at quiet for a time if we have not repented for our sinnes If God come to judge us we shall quake and tremble and desire the hils and mountaines to fall upon us and to hide us from the presence of God Secondly Christ was afraid of death which was neere at hand So Heb. 5. 7. Christ is said in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares unto him that was able to save him from death It appeares he was afraid of death in that he prayed against it I but was Christ afraid of death we see that in the Revelation many of the Saints of God loved not their lives but did willingly embrace death And Act. 20. the Apostle Paul was not onely readie to bee bound for the name of God but to die for it And therefore wee see many of the people of God were not afraid of death how then was Christ afraid of it I answer that death may be considered two ways 1. As it is a dissolution of nature and a separation of the soule from the bodie 2. As it is joyned with the curse and wrath of God Now Christ was not afraid of death as it was a separation of the soule from the bodie but as it was joyned with the wrath and curse of God thus as it is a curse every man hath cause to be afraid of it but if it be joyned with the favour and love of God then we have no cause of feare Iohn 8. Christs threatens the Iewes that they should die in their sins Oh it is a fearful thing when men die in their sinnes under the wrath and curse of God unrepentant for them There is a great cause why such should be afraid of death a number of people there be that are contented to die and yet they are covetous persons vile livers swearers and drunkards but I tell thee if thou hast not repented for thy sinnes hast not caried them unto Christ and applied his righteousnesse unto thee thou hast great cause to be afraid of death Pull the sting out of the serpent and thou mayst put him into thy bosome but if thou let his sting alone be will sting thee So death hath a sting as 1 Cor. 15. 55. which is sinne therefore let this sting be taken away and then we have no cause to be afraid of death But Revel 20. 14. Death is said to goe before and Hell to follow after so that Hell is the tayle of Death and therefore wee have good cause to bee afraid thereof Bernard saith If thou hast put away all shame which appertaineth to so noble a a creature as thou art if thou feele no sorrow as carnall men doe not yet cast not away feare which is found in every beast Wee offer to load an Asse yet hee cares not for it though wee weary him out because he is an Asse but if thou wouldst thrust him into the fire or into a ditch he would avoid it as much as hee could for that hee loveth life and feareth death feare thou then and be not more insensible than a beast feare death feare judgement feare hell The second Affliction that wrought in Christ was heavinesse and sorrow and this not a common or an ordinary but a dreadfull sorrow Now what was the cause that Christ was thus sorrowfull I answer there were three causes of it First because he saw the face of God discomfortably to looke upon him which was wont to shine upon him with an amiable and loving countenance he that was wont to looke so sweetly upon him now to see him as an angry Iudge and not as a loving Father This was it that made him sorrowfull and heavie The Scribes and Pharisees looked upon him angerly yet he was never moved at it but when hee seeth Gods angry countenance towards him this did more touch him than all the bodily paines that hee felt for hee never complained of the spickes and nailes that were thrust into his hands and feet nor of his whipping or buffetting but when he saw Gods angry
ease that they never regard it Therefore it must bee every mans care seeing salvation is finished by Christ to apply and lay hold of it Thirdly seeing salvation and redemption is finished and perfected by Christ we may see what a hatefull and a detestable doctrine the doctrine of Poperie is for they say that every one may finish his redemption without Christ and merit something at the hand of God by his owne workes Notwithstanding all the paines that Christ suffered to redeeme man and so they make the worke of mans redemption of none effect nay the moderatest of them saith that salvation is begunne in Christ but they must finish and perfect it in themselves whereas the Scriptures doth attribute all to Christ onely as Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to the uttermost to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them and Heb. 10. 14. For with one offering hath he consecrated for ever them that are sanctified so then wee may see that Christ is a perfect Saviour But why then are we commanded to worke out our salvation with feare I answere Christ hath wrought salvation by himselfe alone but we must apply it Secondly the time when he said it is finished which is to be considered in two circumstances First when hee was ready to die and to part with this world then he said It is finished and never till then as if he should say all this while it hath beene a working and a doing and now by my death it is finished Foure thousand yeeres the World was in expectation of it all the Patriarkes and Prophets have looked for it and thirtie three yeeres hee himselfe upon earth was a working of it and never till now when he comes to die to the closing of his life did he crie out It is finished Thus wee may see what a deale of labour and paines it cost Christ to redeeme us He was foure thousand yeeres a preparing it and he was three and thirtie yeeres a working it which doth shew what a great worke the worke of mans redemption was God was but sixe daies a making the World but he was three and thirtie yeeres a long time of redeeming it Hence let us bee instructed that when wee have spent our dayes in Prayer in hearing of the Word reading of the Scriptures in meditation and in much labour and toyle If wee can stand before God with comfort and say at the last gaspe Lord I thanke thee my salvation and redemption is finished and perfected in Christ I have laid hold on him my salvation is sure then wee may have much comfort Therefore should we not thinke much though we spend all our life time in labor and paines if we can say at the last gaspe It is finished for all our paines then are well bestowed We see the Children of Israel wandred up and downe in the Wildernesse forty yeeres together sometimes in the day and sometimes in the night sometimes they wanted bread and sometimes water and they met with fierie Serpents by the way which did sting them yet they went on still till they came to the land of Canaan so wee should bee contented much more though wee live in much trouble and affliction and doe travell in the Wildernesse of this World twentie or fortie yeeres together till we be brought to the heavenly Canaan Secondly when he had encountred with our spirituall enemies with sinne the Divell Death Hell and damnation and had overcome them had made mans salvation and had finished it though all the world were in a conspiracie against him and hee had many combates with the Divell yet he overcame all and at the last gaspe crieth out It is finished Which must teach us that although all the men in the world should conspire against us and though wee endure many temptations of the Divel yet we should breake though all and apply Christ to our selves so Revel 2. Hee that over commeth shall not be hurt of the second death and Matth. 11. 12. Hitherto the kingdome of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force So that none but violent people can have Heaven this is a Metaphor taken from Souldiers that seeke to enter in upon a Towne that though the enemie come and beate them downe upon their hands and knees yet they will up againe and never give over till they have gotten their purpose So such violent people onely take the kingdome of Heaven that though they bee cast downe upon their hands and knees by the temptations of the Divell yet they should get up againe and never give over till they have gotten the kingdome of Heaven Thirdly By what actions it was finished Now it hath not relation to that which went before the giving of him vineger to drinke but to the action immediately following and how was it finished In the death of Christ So there is the consummation and finishing of mans salvation and redemption according to the testimonie of the Scriptures Heb. 2. 14. Forsomuch then as the children were partakers of the flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the Divell and that he might deliver all those who for feare of death were all their life time subject to bondage And againe the same Apostle Rom. 5. 10. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Now although the Scriptures doe attribute mans salvation and redemption to the death of Christ yet we are not to exclude his life for hee was a working of it all his life time even from his very birth to his death So we see Philip. 2. 5. He tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse of men and being found in fashion as a man he humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the crosse All his life long was a preparatory and a working of it And by his death it was accomplished and finished as a man filling of a cup first by a quart then by an halfe and so till the last drop come and make the cup runne over so Christ all his life time by little and little finished mans Redemption and by his death he did perfect it which was as the last drop for all the sufferings of Christ were for mans salvation And his death was that which did finish all The use is twofold First that seeing our Redemption and salvation is finished in the death of Christ we should be thankefull for it for it is a great mercy that God hath made us reasonable creatures and hath given us eyes to see withall hands to handle and feete to goe with but it is a greater mercy that God hath
of Christ Now from hence divers things worthy our observation offer themselves unto us but for the present wee will content our selves onely with these two observations First The readinesse of these men to burie Christ wherein they shewed their true love to him the one hee brought fine linnen to wrap up Christ in the other an hundred pounds of oyntment to annoint the dead body of Christ these men thought nothing too much to bestow on him But where are the men that are so ready now to doe service or to bestow any cost on Christ These men did but a little in his life time but now hee is dead they stand at no â—ost they are ready to doe any service unto him which may condemne us that now live in the light of the Gospell now when Christ is not dead but alive in glory and amongst us in his lively members and are no more ready to shew our love to Christ who is yet to be clothed and helped therefore as a learned man saith Let us go with these two Disciples and buy fine Linnen and wrap the body of Christ in it and let us bring an hundred pound of sweete spices to imbalme him with and if thou canst not buy an hundred pound then buy ten pounds if thou canst not buy tenne buy five if not five then one pound and if not one pound then buy one ounce yee know what Christ saith That which ye do to of these little ones ye do it to me and if thou hast nothing to give Christ yet take heed how thou take away any thing from Christ As the fine linnen and the sweet spices that Ioseph and Nicodemus had prepared for the buriall of Christ therefore if there be any money or bread or any thing else to bee bestowed on Christ in his poore members let us take heed how we doe take it away If I say we have nothing to bestow on Christ or on his poore members yet let us take heed how we take away from him that which Ioseph and Nicodemus hath given I meane that which Gods people hath bestowed Secondly we observe in the manner that as too much sumptuousnes is to be avoyded so too much sluttishnesse there is a golden meane if one could hit it there be some too fine and there be some too sluttish and therefore if we have no better rule than this let us follow the manner and custome of Gods people we see here it was the custome of the Iewes so to burie Now there bee foolish toyes used amongst us I know not from whence they came but I am sure it is not the ancient manner of Christians so to bury The fifth is The fruite and benefit we have by the buriall of Christ which is That sinne may be buried in us and therefore as every man would bee contented to bring something to the buriall of Christ if thou canst not bring fine linnen with Ioseph to wrappe the body of Christ in nor an hundred pound of sweete spices with Nicodemus to imbalme his body yet doe thou bring thy sinnes and thy corruptions let them die in his death and be buried in his grave this is acceptable to God and seeing he lookes for thy sinnes and my sins and hath waited three daies together being trampled and troden downe of death therefore what may wee looke for if wee doe neglect it Now that sinne may bee buried in us there bee foure things required First that we labour to kill sinne for if wee have not killed it wee cannot burie it as long as their is life in it it will rise againe and therefore let us slay sinne and labour to kill it this is that which Paul speaketh of Colos 3. 1. Mortifie therefore your members which are on earth that is kill your sins and your lusts Wee see when the Souldiers went to bury the theeves finding them alive they first brake the legges of them and killed them so when we goe to bury sinne if we finde sinne to be alive still wee must first breake the legges and kill it and then we must burie it Secondly We must hate the loathsome face of sin for if we like it and love it we will never bury it and this is the reason why we are content to bury our friends though we lov'd them lik'd them well because after they are dead they become loathsome so when sinne is loathsome and wee cannot abide to see the ugly face of it then wee should endevour to bury it Therefore when men will sweare and lye and prophane the Sabbathes and be drunken it is certaine they doe not see the loathsome face of sinne and then they care not for the burying of it Thirdly To remoove it out of our sight and out of our houses as wee remoove a dead man out of our houses therefore Abraham said Let me bury my dead out of my sight Ezâ— 39. 14. There is related a strange storie that there were searchers appointed to goe through the lanâ— who if they did finde any dead mens bones after a great slaughter were to set up a marke or a sticke by them till the buriers came so every mans conscience must be the searchers to finde out his sinnes which when hee hath found out then hee must set a marke by them and never leave till thou hast buried them out of thy sight Fourthly When we have buried sinne them we must rake moulds on it which if we doe not the Divell will come and put life into it againe therefore it must be every mans wisedome by praier and meditation to rake moulds over his sinnes that so they doe not rise againe and his latter end be worse than his beginning SERMON XXIX ACTS 2. 27. Because thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy One to see corruption HAving spoken of the death of Christ now we come to handle a further descent of Christs humiliation for there were certaine steps thereof on which hee descended till he came at the lowest steppe and it was as all Divines agree His descention into Hell Genesis 28. 12. We may see that on the ladder that Iacob saw in his vision there were Angels ascending and descending so on the ladder of mans redemption there was Christ descending lower and lower till hee came to the lowest steppe and sinfull man ascending higher and higher till hee came to the highest top of glory it is an experience in nature that those would carry water up to high Towers and Steeples must let it fall exceeding low ere it can rise So our Saviour Christ the most cunningest Artificer in the World that he might raise the fraile nature of man to the highest toppe of glory was contented to fall exceeding low to the lowest step of humiliation that so he might raise man to the highest glory This is generally the mystery of Christs
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
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
while So we dwelling in Cottages of clay in this World if one should aske us when we looke up to Heaven whose house is this and be answered by any of Gods people it is mine I thanke God Iesus Christ hath purchased it not with gold and silver but with his most pretious blood and one day I shall have it would not every man thinke this mans case to bee good and hee a blessed man This is the first reason why Christ is ascended into Heaven Now if Christ bee ascended to Heaven to prepare Heaven for us then every man must prepare himselfe and make him ready to receive Heaven â—evel 19. It is said That the Bride the Lambes wife is ready So wee should make our selves ready for Heaven we must repent and beleeve make conscience of our wayes and be obedient before God while we live here Secondly Christ ascended into Heaven To send downe the Holy Ghost into the hearts of his servants as hee saith Iohn 16. 7. It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you But had not the Disciples the Holy Ghost before Christ ascended I answer yes for they could not have the smallest meaâ—â—â—e of grace but it must bee by the Holy Ghost for as Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 12. 3. No man can say Iesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost yet he full measure of grace and the abundance of the holy Ghost was not given till Christ ascended but was reserved till then therefore Iohn 7. 30. It is sâ—id That the Holy Ghost was not given because Christ was not ascended Even as a King whose gifts bestowed on his Favourites are but petty till hee bee installed and then bee they great gifts so the gifts of the Spirit be given but in a small measure till Christ was ascended and then were they great gifts unto which hee daily addes more gifts and graces of his Spirit still as a loving husband when hee is absent from his wife will bee sending of love-tokens some Gold-rings Iewels or Pearles to comfort and to cheare her sending still by every messenger that comes one thing or other till hee himselfe comes home so Christ being absent from us doth send unto us Rings Pearles and Iewels even the gifts and graces of his Spirit untill he come This is a great comfort howsoever wee want the presence of Christ here so long as wee have his Spirit to assure us of Gods favour and of the pardon of our sinnes and that Heaven is ours all is well wee know 2 Kings 2. 9. When Elias was to depart from Elisha saith be Aske what I shall give thee Elisha answers that thy spirit may bee doubled upon me So when Christ at his ascension bids us aske what we would have we must make this request Lord that thy Spirit may bee doubled upon me that so my minde may bee enlightned my will sanctified and all my affections rightly ordered Now as Christ is ascended to send down the graces of his spirit into our hearts so we must prepare our selves for it as the Disciples Acts 1. 14. Did all continue in Prayer and Supplications with one accord so seeing the Spirit is promised let us read the Scriptures meditate of them pray and so make our selves fit to receive the holy Ghost As 2 Kings 4. 10. when Elisha came to Shunem saith the Shunamitish woman to her husband Let us make him a little chamber I pray thee with wals and let us set him there a bed and a stoole and a candlesticke that he may turne in thither Now if this good Shunamite did prepare a chamber to receive the Prophet into how much more should wee prepare our hearts to receive the Spirit of God Thirdly Christ did ascend into Heaven to lead captivitie captive to triumph over Sinne Death Hell the Divell and our spirituall enemies when Sampson was beset with the Philistines in Gaza it is said He rose at midnight and tooke the doores of the gates of the Citie and the two posts and lift them away with the barres and put them on his shoulders and carried them up to the top of an high hill so Iesus Christ being beset with all our spirituall enemies hath triumphed over them and is gloriously ascended into heaven As Saint Paul saith Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high heeled captivity captive Death Hell Sin and the Divell so that now a Christian may see all his spirituall enemies in fetters and chaines I but some may say What is this to me seeing I am subject to Death Sinne and to the grave To this I answere that Christs victorie is our victory his triumph is our triumph there is not a true Christian but one day he shall triumph over all his spirituall enemies but it must be as Christ was For first he was killed and throwne into the dens of theeves and death then he arose againe and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies and did gloriously ascend into Heaven so when we bee killed and throwne into the dens of death and rise againe then wee shall triumph over all our spirituall adversaries and say as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie and then wee shall ascend into Heaven Therefore labour thou to bee a servant of God and then doubt not but as Christ triumphed over all our spirituall enemies so shalt thou for as Christ speakes Iohn 16. 33. In the World yee shall have trouble but in me you shall have peace be of good comfort for I have evercome the World Augustine saith some men will object what are wee the better for it that Christ hath overcome the world and triumphed over all our spirituall enemies why all that Christ did is for our sakes that one day wee may succeed in the same triumph Iudges 10. wee see Ioshâ—a when he had inclosed the Kings and shut them up in a Cave Hee brings them out and makes his Souldiers and Servants to tread on the neckes of them whom yet hee himselfe had conquered so making all his Servants Conquerors so Iesus Christ will make every true Christian to tread on the neckes of our spirituall enemies Sinne Death Hell and the Divell that so although the conquest be Christs yet he might make all us his Servants Conquerors Fourthly Christ ascended to fill the whole Church with his gifts As Ephes 4. 8. When hee ascended up on high he gave gifts to men and verse 10. of the same Chapter Hee that descended is the same that ascended farre above all Heavens that he might fill all things so that the goodnesse of Christ is spread all the World over Christs ascension is like a tree the rootes whereof be in the Earth but the fruite is above our heads but shake the tree and
hee comes for whilest the market lasts for if the market bee once over the opportunitie for that time is lost so the time of life is the market of the soule whilest this lasteth a man may have any sanctified Grace hee may faith Repentance favour with God and pardon for his sinnes but if hee tarrie till the market bee done and this life ended hee cannot have faith Repentance nor any sanctified grace nor one drop of Gods favour though hee would give a world for it Therefore let us bee exhorted to lay hold on the good time that God giveth us Now for the further inlargement of this wee are to consider two things 1. What wee are to beleeve in generall 2. What wee are to beleeve in particular In the generall we are to beleeve that if we can repent there is forgivenesse of sinnes and in particular I doe beleeve that my sinnes are pardoned and forgiven mee for what shall I bee the better to beleeve there is pardon of sinnes unlesse I can beleeve that my sinnes are pardoned now in generall there bee six particulars to bee beleeved 1. That all men bee sinners both in the estate of Nature and in the estate of grace 2. That there is no way to finde release but by the forgivenesse of them 3. That there is forgivenesse of sinnes if men will seeke it 4. There is forgivenesse of sinnes without limitation of Number bee they never so many or Quality bee they never so great 5. That God onely forgiveth sinnes 6. That God doth not absolutely forgive but it is upon condition if men repent them of their sinnes First Wee beleeve that all men bee sinners both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace for in our Christian faith wee beleeve the forgivenesse of sinnes now there can be no forgivensse where there is no sinne and Christ teacheth us to pray daily for the forgivenesse of our sinnes to shew that the pardon of them is as needfull as our daily bread even in our best estate Iob. 9. 3. it is said If hee will contend with him hee cannot answer him one of a thousand and Psal 143. 13. David saith enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy sight no flesh is justified so Salomon shewes 1 King 8. 4. That there is no man that sinneth not and Iames 3. 2. it is said In many things wee sinne all so also 1 Iohn 1. ult If wee say wee have no sinne wee deceive our selves and there is no truth in us Hence then it is plaine by the Scriptures that all men are sinners both in the estate of nature and in the estate of grace And it is plaine by Reason also for look where the punishments of sinne bee there is sinne for by order of divine Iustice where there is sinne there is the punishment of it Now all men have in some measure tasted of the punishments of sinne some in one kinde some in another therefore there is sinne in all men Wee see in experience that if the Bayliffes be busie about a man and they arrest him and strain him in his goods they will say surely this man is in debt hee is but in a poore estate so when the Lords Bayliffes bee left about a man that is when the judgements and punishments of God distraine us in our goods and arrest us wee may say surely wee are in the Lords debt our estate is but meane and poore The use is seeing all men bee sinners both in the estate of Nature and grace therefore every man must labour for the forgivenesse of his sinnes Wee see that David when he came to the sight of his sinnes by the Prophet Nathan he was not at rest till hee had repented of them so when we are brought to the sight of our sinnes by any occasion we should not be at rest till we have repented of them If a man hath committed such an offence against the king that he is in danger of death hee cannot bee at rest till he hath gotten a pardon from the king sealed which when hee hath hee layeth it up in his chest and looketh on it many times to his comfort so when wee have sinned against God and are in danger of death let us not be at rest till wee have got a pardon from God sealed with the blood of Christ which a man must lay up in his heart and look on it at all times for his comfort Secondly there is no way to finde release of our sinnes but by forgivenesse therefore when we have sinned against God there is nothing that can release us neither Angell nor Archangell but it must be by forgivenesse our case is like the servants Matth. 18. 24. that ought a thousand talents a great deale and had nothing to pay it withall so wee have a great deale to pay unto the Lord and have not one halfepenny to pay him with we have nothing and therefore we are never able to satisfie for it neither is there any other way to release us but by forgivenesse The Church of Rome saith that a man may satisfie God for many of his owne sinnes and that according to justice and needeth not at all forgivenesse But this is contrary to the doctrine of their owne schoolemen and Reason is against it First every man that doth satisfie for any thing must doe as much good to the partie as be hath wronged him by his offence as Aquinas saith that satisfaction implyes a certaine equalitie But when we sinne against God wee offend an infinite thing therefore there must be infinite satisfaction for it but al the actions of men bee finite and therefore no man can satisfie God for any sinne Secondly no man can discharge one debt by paying another debt But all we doe is due debt to the Lord for as Christ saith When yee have done all that ye can say that We are unprofitable servants therefore because all that we doe is due debt unto the Lord therefore we cannot satisfie for any sinne Thirdly sinne hindreth the vertue of satisfaction for if a man be a sinner he can doe nothing that is pleasing and acceptable to God and if a man cannot please God he cannot satisfie for any sinne but there is no action we doe but we sinne in it therefore we cannot satisfie God for our sinnes This is cleare by the Scriptures and therefore their doctrine of the Church of Rome is not to be beleeved For we must acknowledge when wee have sinned that there is no way to satisfie God but by free pardon and forgivenesse But how is it free pardon and forgivenesse I answer It is free in regard of us It is due in regard of Christ for it cost him three and thirty yeeres travell in this world it cost him his life and his blood many streames of pure blood issued from him to obtaine a
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
therefore let every man so attend to the things of this life as that he may labor for everlasting life which is the blessing of all blessings I but is everlasting life so great a blessing seeing the wicked shall bee raised to everlasting life I answer that the wicked shall bee raised up to everlasting life which life shall bee a continuall death to them for looke in what extremitie any man is in when hee is a dying grieving and groaning as though his Spirit were departing in the like extremitie shall all the wicked bee in dying and never dye breathing out their last breath and yet never breathing it out If a man for an offence should be adjudged to lye in such a hot furnace as was prepared for the three Children by Nebuchadnezzar but two yeeres hee would thinke he were better die a thousand deaths than to lye in such extremitie But what is temporarie fire to Hell fire It is nothing comparable to it what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God nothing there is no death to the death of the wicked and no torment like the torment of Hell for their death is continuall If a man were put to his choyce no doubt hee would die a thousand deaths temporary before hee would dye that death For though the deaths of mens devising bee terrible yet they are nothing compared to the death and punishments that God can devise for the wicked And yet wee see how men labor to avoid to flie temporarie death they will runne ride take physicke endure any paines to shunne it which is but a flea biting as it were if compared which eternall death and never feare never labor to shun this latter which is the most wofull of all other We see how afraid men bee of the plague so as they will labour by all meanes to avoide it which yet brings but temporarie death how much more afraid should wee bee of sinne because that is the cause of eternall death Here wee see the madnesse of the world which labours to avoid temporarie death and yet will not strive to avoid sinne which brings eternall But let us pray to God to avoid sinne that so wee may avoid eternall death for the wicked shall rise no to live eternally but to dye eternally nay their life shall bee worse than death if any thing can be worse but it is otherwise with the people of God they shall rise to everlasting life for hee bestowes that of none but his people and Church Now here wee are to consider two things 1. What it is that God doth promise 2. The Continuance of it First hee promiseth to his People Life now Life is two-fold 1. Naturall 2. Spirituall First the Naturall life is upheld by the use of meate drinke and physicke wherein both the good and bad have their part for this is proper to both but that is not the life that our christian faith here speakes of For to speake exactly it is but the way to life whereof Christ speakes Matth. 5. 25. Agree with thy adversarie quickly whilest thou art in the way with him c. where Christ shewes that this life is but the way to everlasting life Therefore it must bee every mans wisedome to passe this life so here as that hee may make it the way to everlasting life Now our spirituall life is upheld by having Communion with God for as the soule is the life of the body so God is the life of the soule because as the body cannot have life but by Communion with the soule so the soule cannot live unlesse it have Communion with God Which life is spoken of Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shew mee the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And Iohn 5. 40. Christ sayes But yee will not come unto mee that ye may have life And this is the life which Christ promiseth here for it is nothing to live the life of nature to eate drinke and sleepe which doth but nourish the body and never looke to the life of grace but the speciall care of a Christian must bee for that a number of men thinke if they can live the life of nature they care not for living the spirituall life for faith or repentance or to live holily here the speciall thing I say which we should looke to is to live hereafter We finde Gen. 17. 18. Abraham saith unto God Oh that Ismael might live in thy sight so this should bee the request wee should make to God Oh that I may live the life of the Spirit indeed I live a naturall life but I desire to live the life of grace so David Psal 119. 175. saith Let my soule live and it shall praise thee my body liveth and I goe up and down with it but let my soule live and then I shall praise thee which is the blessing of all blessings to have Communion with God to draw neere to him and bee acquainted with him by prayer repentance and amendment of life Now there are two degrees of spirituall life 1. The Life of Grace 2. The Life of Glorie First in that the soule hath Communion with God by faith which Communion is many times darkened and eclipsed by sinne when yet in the interim it hath many a glimpse of it as the Sunne being under a cloude is kept from our sight that we cannot see it untill it breakes out so it is our sinnes which hinders this sweet Communion that is betweene God and the soule As it is with the light and the eye as long as the eye is well it dare boldly looke on the light but if it catch a blow or an hurt it must have somewhat to hang before it because the light offends it So it is between God and the soule as long as it stands in good termes with God so long it dare with boldnesse come unto God but if once it catch a blow have a hurt and a wound it is afraid to come before God This is the life of Grace Now the Life of Glorie is to live in the blessed presence of God in the Kingdome of Heaven where the sweet face of God shall shine on us and where wee shall have the Company of the Angells and Holy Spirits But this is the order First wee must live the life of grace and then the life of Glorie and therefore every man must acquaint himselfe with God by Prayer and in repenting for his sinnes that so we may looke to have Communion with him in the life to come but if we doe not acquaint our selves to prayer and in the use of holy meanes then we are as strangers to him and must not looke to have Communion with him in the life of Glorie But to inlarge my selfe further in the point of Eternall Life let us consider of it a little more
downe as a ground Heb. 4. 9. that there remaines a rest for the People of God here in this world they have a great deale of trouble therefore Habbak 1. 13. the Prophet complaineth Wherefore dost thou looke upon the transgressour and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than himselfe so Psalm 34. 19. David saith Many are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord doth deliver them out of all so here is the stay of a Christian though he hath a great deale of trouble and affliction yet there remaineth a rest for the people of God One saith well all Gods works were good who when he had laboured six dayes rested the seventh day so saith he if thy workes are good which thou doest then after thy labour thou shalt have rest when the wicked shall have neither rest nor peace The Children of Israel when they were in the wildernesse endured sore labour but here was their comfort that their labour tended to Canaan to give rest unto them as it is Ier. 30. 2. He walked before Israel to cause him to rest so though the People of God have sore labour forty yeares together yet because they bee in the way to Heaven and to the kingdome of God where they shall have rest endlesse comfort and bee free from all both bodily and spirituall labours they should be comforted now it is a labour for mee to preach to get learning but then all these things shall cease and we shall bee infinitely indued with all heavenly knowledge as 1 Cor. 12. 9. saith Saint Paul Now we know but in part prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect shall be abolished so the Prophet Esay saith Wee shall be all taught of God therefore who would not but endure a little labour here seeing hee shall have eternall rest Philosophers say that All things rest when they come at their proper place but heaven is the proper place of Gods people where they shall have rest therefore let us be contented to take a little labour and paines that we may have rest in the life to come If a king should say to us goe walke in such a high way cole-pit or in such a mine but a few dayes after which ye shall be free from all labours then I will keepe and maintaine you for ever who is there but would bee contented to take any paines and labour for a little time that so he may be freed from everlasting torment so seeing the Lord will one day free us from all our labours if we will bee contented to labour here in this world and to doe that which the Lord commandeth us we shall one day bee free from all labours and shall rest in the kingdome of God It was the manner of the ancient Romans that if any man had gone out to warres and had returned safe home againe he should ever after bee kept without labouring any more so the Lord hath sent us out to warre against our sinnes lusts and the devill after which when we returne home to heaven we shall be freed from all our labours Thirdly wee shall be freed from originall sinne and the fruits of it in the time of this life what is it that a Christian would not give to bee free from originall sinne and the fruits thereof indeed a prophane man is loth to part from his sinnes which he cannot live without no more than a fish can live without the water as wee heard in the forenoone but Christians will part with their meat and drinke with any thing to bee rid of it for they desire above all things to bee rid of corruption so Paul cryeth out Rom. 7. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of this death After this life wee shall no more displease God but be free from originall sinne which is the corruption of nature now it may be repressed but not quite abolished till the day of death as the Childe was rent and torne by the devill when hee departed out of it so sinne will deale with us but here is the comfort that in the life to come wee shall be freed from it and the fruits of it and shall no more grieve God as Iosh 10. 25. when he had discomfited the five kings he did not kill them by and by but put them into a cave and rolled a great stone on them to keepe them in untill he had made an end of killing of his enemies then he commanding them to roll away the stone from the Caves mouth they brought out these kings that the chiefe of his men might set their feet on their necks ere he killed them in like manner our great captaine Iesus Christ will doe by originall sinne and the fruit thereof in us which shall not be quite killed in this life but subdued brought under put into a cave as it were and great stones rolled upon it that is by repentance obedience and prayer it shall bee subdued here and then at the day of judgement Iesus Christ shall abolish it when hee shall make us set our foot on the neck of it then the people of God shall say as it is 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of sinne is death and the strength of sinne is the law but thanks bee to God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Fourthly we shall be freed from all worldly authority and power then there shall be no king but God shall bee all in all as it is 1 Cor. 15. 27. And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Sonne himselfe likewise be subject unto him that did subdue all things under him that God may be all in all so then all the kingdomes of this world shall give place to it therefore how joyfull shall it bee when God shall raigne over us wee see when Salomon was crowned king 1 King 1. 40. how joyfull the people were it is said that they rejoyced with great joy so that the earth rang with the sound thereof but how much more joyfull shall it bee when all kings shall come and lay downe their crownes at Gods feete when God shall raigne over the house of Sion Psalm 91. it is said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce c. therefore what a comfort will this bee to the people of God when God shall reigne over them so Esai 24. 23. it is said When the Lord of hosts shall reigne in mount Sion and in Ierusalem and glory shall bee before his ancient men so Esai 52. 7. saith he How beautifull upon the mountaines are the feet of them that declare and publish the glad tidings of peace and salvation saying unto Sion Thy God reigneth so the people of God shall bee freed from all worldly powers and bad government when God shall
a Taske Heretofore I have shewed you that under two conditions only the Lord hath promised Life and Salvation Repentance and Faith which two conditions are the lowest rate he hath set life at Having therefore spent much time in the Doctrine of Repentance our course now is to speake of the Doctrine of Faith for howsoever it be that Repentance is a necessary Grace without which we cannot be saved yet notwithstanding all the Repentance in the world cannot save us although wee should weepe our eyes out unlesse wee have Faith some thinke that if they repent and mourne for their sinnes onely they shall be saved but the truth is we cannot be saved without Faith For First though Repentance may drive a man to seeke to be saved as the aking and pricking of a sore may drive a man to the Physitian or Chirurgion so sorrow and griefe may drive us to seeke to Christ there to shew our wounds but if we stay there and apply not the remedies we have no helpe for it is not Repentance that doth save us but the blood of Christ As it is 1 Iohn 1. 7. where he sheweth that The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all our sinnes and Câ—loss 1. 14. In Him we have Redemption through his blood that is the forgivenesse of sins Therefore when the Lord Zechar. 12. 10. promiseth to powre upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace and compassion that they should mourn for their sins In the next Chapter he promiseth that He would open unto them a fountaine for sin and uncleannesse to wit the blood of Christ and therefore besides a fountaine of our teares for sinne there must bee a fountaine of the blood of Christ to wash and cleanse us from our sinnes not Repentance onely but there withall Faith also Secondly because it is said without Faith we cannot please God Heb. 11. 6. therefore Repentance without Faith sufficeth not for Faith in Christ is that which makes a man acceptable before God for which cause in the matters of Faith nothing contents a Christian but Christ only in which case the Apostle flings away all accounting all but dirt and dung in regard of Christ Phil. 3. 8. Therefore though a man be sorry for his sins yet he hath need of Faith also to beleeve the promises and pardon of them As when a Rebell flies into another land where he is taken and sent home in a ship in which case the ship which brings him home can doe no more but there must bee some meanes besides to bring him in favour with the king to have a pardon So when we rebell against God by sinning we runne away from him Repentance is the ship to bring us home againe which can doe no more therefore there must be another means to reconcile us which is Faith in the Sonne of God Thirdly our Repentance is unperfect and therefore must be grounded on some perfect thing as the Schoolemen say Every unperfect thing must be grounded on something that is perfect So our Repentance being unperfect must be grounded on Christ apprehended by Faith one of them will not serve As a bird which hath two wings to flie with take away one of them well may the bird flutter and beat upon the ground but shee cannot flie So Faith and Repentance are the two wings of a Christian whereof take away one and they fall to the ground Now in the Doctrine of Faith divers things are to be observed 1. What the use of Faith is in the life of a Christian 2. How many kindes of Faith there be 3. The nature of true Faith 4. The Degrees of Faith 5. The effects and fruits of Faith 6. The extention and right object of Faith The first is the use of Faith in the life of a Christian for who will take care for a thing till hee knowes the use of it If a man tell us that such a herbe or such a stone is good the next question is but to what use serves it what is it good for So when wee heare of Faith this question may arise to what Vse serves my Faith For when men know the use of it this makes them seeke for it Now there bee foure uses of Faith in the life of a Christian too many know one use to make of their faith and that is to sweare by it but God hath not given us our faith to sweare by it but to other uses 1. To justifie us in the sight of God 2. To sanctifie us in this world 3. To live by it 4. To dye in Faith that when our friends and the world leave us then our faith may uphold us The first use of faith is that it doth justifie us in the sight of God for if we be detected by sinne and found infinitly guilty we have a discharge by faith for if the divell accuse us or our conscience condemne us then faith that acquitteth us and justifieth us in Gods sight as Rom. 3. 28. There may bee many graces but none of them can justifie us but faith only for Love is a work of the Law and so is Patience and many other graces but faith it is that justifieth us Rom. 3. 28. Therefore saith he wee conclude that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by faith onely Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and Galatians 1. 15. saith hee We which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ and that for two reasons First because it lets all goe in the matters of salvation and brings Christ as the full price of our redemption to the Father for when the divell doth accuse us and we are found guilty and condemned then faith runnes to the Crosse of Christ into the grave and through the dens of death and brings Christ with his head crowned his backe whipped his sides wounded his hands and feete peirced and then a Christian is bold to stand up and say O Lord I have sinned against thee but behold here is my Redeemer and Saviour he hath answered thee whatsoever thou couldst require let his paines be my ease his shame my glory and his death my life c. A man arrested for a great debt he being in the Bailiffes hands readie to be carried and throwne into the Gaole perhaps hath a little Boy standing by who straight way runnes to his friends and tels them that his father is in the Bailiffes hands and ready to be throwne into the Gaole and so brings his friends who come with a great bagge of money powre it downe and so discharge the debt that the man goeth free even so when wee bee arrested with the judgements of God like Bailiffes and likely to bee throwne into Hell faith is like
the Deitie did flow into the Person of the Sonne then our faith goes with it and whithersoever the Deity goes thither goeth the faith of a Christian Now the faith that wee have in the Sonne of God is to be considered three wayes 1. In his Titles 2. In his Incarnation 3. In his twofold Estate of 1. Humiliation 2. Exaltation Concerning his Titles we beleeve 1. That he is Iesus 2. That he is Christ 3. That he is the onely Sonne 4. That he is our Lord according as the Angel saith here in this place And thou shalt call his name Iesus Now in the faith we have in this title Iesus there bee three things implyed 1. That he is a Saviour 2. That in the matter of our Salvation there is no other Iesus but this Iesus 3. That as he is Iesus so he is our Iesus and will save us in the day of death and Iudgement First Iesus as the Angell tels us and as wee all know it signifieth A Saviour wee beleeve that Iesus is a Saviour and will save us at the day of death and at the day of judgement As Matth. 18. For the Sonne of man is come to save that which was lost And 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a true saying saith the Apostle and by all meanes worthy to bee received that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners c. So Ioh. 4. 14. And wee have seene and doe testifie that the Father sent his Sonne to bee the Saviour of the world So that if hee bee the true Saviour of the world all that will be saved must seeke to bee saved by him for God saveth not but by the meanes which hee himselfe hath appointed therefore wee must seeke to that It is a rule in Divinity That such meanes as God hath appointed for the saving of us such wee must applie our selves to as God appointed an Arke for saving of Noab and his family from drowning so that all that would bee saved must flie to the Arke so likewise if any were stung with the firy serpents hee had appointed a brasen serpent that if any bitten with the firy serpent looked up they should bee holpen and if any were stung and did not looke up and cast up their eyes there on the brasen serpent they were not helped Even so God hath appointed Iesus to bee the meanes of salvation therefore all that will bee saved must seeke to Iesus to bee saved Ioh. 1. 37. Iohn as soone as hee pointed at Iesus and said Behold the Lambe of God the two Disciples left all and followed him so wee should doe when wee heare it is Iesus that must save us at the day of death and judgement we should bee contented to leave all pleasures and profits and our sinnes and whatsoever is deare to us to bee saved by Iesus But it is a pittifull thing that men desire to bee saved at the day of judgement and after death to bee blessed and yet never seeke to Christ Christ complaineth of this in Ioh. 5. 40. But yee will not come unto me that ye might have life As if he should say yee desire to be blessed and to bee saved but yee will not come to me to have life and to bee saved It is the sinne of the world that they intend matters of pleasure and profit and never seeke to Christ to bee saved if a strange Chirurgion or Physition should come into the countrey if wee conceive him to bee good or heare hee is O how men will seeke to him that they may be holpen of their disease or of their wounds but here is the fault that men do not seeke to Iesus who is able to bring light out of darkenesse health out of sickenesse life out of death Secondly seeing Iesus is the Saviour therefore wee must bring our wives and children our servants friends and them wee wish well to Christ Iesus to bee saved Mark 2. 3. There was a man sicke of the Palsey who because hee was not able to come himselfe was brought by foure men and presented before Christ and so was healed so wee should doe present our children and friends at the feet of Christ by prayer and them wee wish well to that hee may save and blesse them As Mark. 10. 14. They brought little children to him that hee might touch them A learned man saith well hee is the Saviour of little children therefore we must bring them to Christ and present them by prayer to him that he may save and blesse them Thirdly seeing Iesus is the Saviour it shewes naturally wee are all lost in our selves under the curse of God and out of the estate of Salvation and therefore must seeke to Christ to be saved as Matth. 18. 11. The Sonne of man is come to seeke and to save that which is lost as a lost sheepe is not at rest but runnes here and there and cryes to the shepheard and is not at rest till hee bee in the fould againe so wee should doe wee should cry to the shepheard and never be at rest till wee bee brought home to God againe In the words of the Angell wee may observe three things 1. Whom he shall save his owne people 2. By what meanes not by strong hand or fighting for them but by dying and suffering for them 3. From what he shall save them from their sinnes First whom hee shall save he shall save his owne people so that if we bee not the people of Christ we cannot bee saved A number of men thinke that seeing all bee sinners and Christ dyed for sinners therefore all shall bee saved but this is an error in the world for hee shall save none but his owne people and therefore if wee will be saved we must labour to bee the people of Christ obedient to his commandements to live under his government and to bee guided and governed by him in all our actions for if wee bee not gathered home unto him obey him and live under his government we are none of his people and then we cannot looke to bee saved It is said Psal 18. 27. Hee will save the humble and will cast downe the proud Now who bee the humble people even such as bee brought low upon the consideration of their sinnes and sit under the burthen of them at the feet of Christ these bee the people that shall be saved Secondly how hee shall save them not by strong hand nor by fighting for them but by suffering for them as it is said Ioh. 1. Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world even as the lambe in the Law typified the taking away of sinne so Iesus tooke away our sinne In the Law when they brought a Lambe to offer the man made confession of his sinnes on the head of the Lambe and put them vpon the Lambe the Lambe was killed and the man went free so all our sinnes
belong to the rich also To this I answere that the grace of the Gospell is like to a Vine that runnes low first at the bottome of the tree and by little and little windes and twists it selfe up till it gets to the top so at first the grace of the Gospell began low it did as it were creepe along on the ground with poore men and after it did winde and twist up till it came at the top and so did winde within Scepters and crownes of kings which is the highest step that it can come to in this world Secondly in what disposition they were found the text saith they were keeping their flockes not Idle in their houses nor asleepe in their beds but attending their flockes in their callings Here we may see what a good thing it is for a man to be upon his calling If we looke into the Bible we shall see all the goodly apparitions that appeared were when they were upon their callings when was it that Iaakob saw in a vision Angels ascending and descending when he was in his journey upon his calling so Moses Exod. 2. when did the Lord appeare unto him as hee was keeping his flocke and so the Angell did appeare to Gedeon when hee was a threshing wheate in his calling so the Lord tooke David from following the sheepe great with young And when were the Disciples called was it not when they were a fishing in their calling not when they were idle which may shew us what an excellent thing it is for a man to be upon his calling to performe the duties of it if there be any blessing stirring or any good thing for the Angell of God to impart hee shall be sure to have his part in it at that time so saith our Saviour Blessed is that servant who when his Master shall come shall be found well doing and it was a good saying that a learned man had when his friends told him hee studied too much saith hee What would yee have the Lord come and finde mee Idle Thirdly by whom the birth of Christ was made manifest by the Angels when the Priests were silent in the Temple the Angels were not they could not keepe it here we may see how ready the Angels are to doe any service to Christ there is not an Angell nor an Archangell but is ready to doe service to him therefore much more should men be ready to serve and obey Him But it is otherwise with us for we be ready to doe service to sinne and to our lusts rather than unto Christ Matth. 21. when Iesus rode to Ierusalem upon an Asse some strowed garments in the way some did cut downe boughs and branches crying Hosanna there was not a childe playing in the streets but was ready to doe service unto Christ in like manner let us stirre up and quicken our selves to doe in the service of Christ and not as we were wont give our selves wholly to sin to the deceitfull lusts and vaine pleasures of this world Fourthly the time when Christs birth was made manifest the same night an Angel came post from heaven to make it knowne it was the love of God that he would not hold it till day any long time but presently he makes it knowne We read Gen. 18. of Gods love to his servants saith the Lord Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I doe c For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after Him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord c. God would not conceale any thing from his servant Abraham so it was his love that he would not conceale the birth of Christ but make it knowne the same night Therefore seeing God made hast to send this message we should make hast to receive it as soone as may bee seeke him and not rest till wee have found him and as the Shepheards went out to Bethlem to see Christ so let us go forth to see him although he be not at Bethlem yet in his word there we may see Christ borne in a stable laid in a cratch praying in the mount sweating in the garden crowned with a crowne of thornes bleeding on the crosse hanging in paines and torments and gloriously sitting on his throne and as old Simeon tooke Christ in his armes and imbraced him so let us take him and lay hold on him by the hand of Faith and bring him into our hearts so as we may say with Paul Gal. 20. 2. The life which I now liue in the flesh I live by the faith of the Sonne of God c. so never part with Christ till the day of death for no man can have comfort although hee should see Christ borne in the stable laid in the cratch sitting in the lap of his mother praying in the mount bleeding on the crosse sitting gloriously on his throne unlesse hee can apply Christ and make him his owne by faith Fifthly the manner of the manifestation of his birth by a speciall message where two things are to be considered 1. That the Angell moveth attention 2. The message it selfe Now the Angell moveth attention two wayes 1. By remooving that which should hinder attention 2. By quickning up the affections in this word Behold First of the message it selfe which was that the Angels did bring them tidings of great Ioy. 1. It was tidings of joy 2. Of great joy 3. Not to one people nor to one nation but to all people And therefore seeing there is such an excellent message come wee should attend it Heere wee may observe what is the greatest joy that is that Christ is borne into the world this is the joy of us Christians to know that Christ is come into the world to save penitent and poore sinners he will heare us in our troubles releeve us when we bee poore give us health when we be sicke will be all in all unto us O let us then labour to joy in Christ for there is no true joy but in him therefore howsoever the covetous mans joy is in his goods the fleshly mans in his pleasures the usurers in his mony yet let the Christian more joy in Christ than in any thing and let every man labour to get him make him sure and then he shall joy in life in death in sicknesse health plenty and adversity SERMON XI LVKE 2. 15. And it came to passe as the Angels were gone away from them into Heaven the shepheards said one to another Let us goe now even unto Bethlem and see this thing which is come to passe which the Lord hath made knowne unto us OF the manifestation of Christs birth we spake the last day onely one thing more there is to be added which is the Specification of the Angels speech they doe not onely say that Christ is borne but by way of appropriation that Christ is borne to you you bee the men the parties that Christ was borne for
A man shall never have any true comfort to know that Christ is borne unlesse he can apply and appropriate Him to himselfe bring himselfe within this compasse that Christ was borne for him to say that Christs birth is his His passion His paines His life His death is his then he may have comfort for all our joy is by applying and making Christ our owne to appropriate His death life paines and passions to us then wee may have comfort then wee may rejoyce therefore every one must labour to apply Christ unto himselfe and to know that he is one of them for whom Christ was borne Esai 9. 6. it is said To us a Childe is borne to us a Sonne is given c. for though Christ be borne to others wee can have no comfort by it until we know that he was borne for us and as it is said Zech. 9. 9. Behold thy king commeth to thee so till we say my king commeth to me we can have no joy of him so Iohn 20. Thomas had beene a long time a Disciple of Christ and yet had but little comfort by it till hee came to say My Lord and my God In like manner one may heare a long time and yet have no joy in Christ feele little comfort till he can make particular application of Him Therefore every one should labour to apply Christ unto himselfe that he may have joy and comfort when hee can bring his heart within compasse of those the Angels speake of Christ is borne to you you be the parties you be the men and women that Christ is borne for The second thing we observe is The effects it wrought in the shepherds which are foure in number The first is that they said one to another let us goe then unto Bethlem and see this thing that is come to passe which the Lord hath shewed unto us Here we see the shepheards doe exhort and stirre up one another to goe and see this thing which was come to passe and it must teach us to exhort and stirre upone another to good things and take them to ourselves labouring to make others the better for them as upon any occasion to say to one another Wife or children or servants or neighbours come let us goe to the preaching of the Word where wee shall have Christ to our comfort It is the manner of the streame to carry away all movealbe things but if they bee rooted then it doth not stirre them Mich. 4. 1. the people of God are said to flow because they carry men to Christ when men be setled and rooted in their sinnes then they stand still but if they bee capable of good things then they are carried to Christ and therefore Heb. 3. 13. we are commanded to exhort one another daily while it is called to day and Heb. 10. 25. it is said But let us exhort one another so much the more because the day draweth neere so likewise in Esay it is said And many people shall goe and say Come let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob It is one of the graces of God that hee will bestow on his people that they shall be helpers to stirre up one another to good duties to faith repentance patience and the like wee see how ready the men of this world bee to incite up one another to sinne as Gen. 11. 4. say the wicked builders Goe to let us build a tower whose top shall reach to heaven in Esay the drunkards stirre up one another and Ierem. 18. 18. Then said they Come let us devise devises against Ieremiah for the law shall not perish from the priests nor counsell from the wise nor the Word from the Prophet Come and let us smite him with the tongue and let us not give heede to any of his words so also Proverb 1. 11. the theeves say Come let us lay waite for blood cast in thy lot amongst us and we will all have one purse O how this may shame us that they bee more ready to carry one another to hell and damnation than we to draw one another to life and salvation we see if one wheele of a clocke bee stirred it will stirre all the rest so it should be with us if one be stirred to goodnesse he should stirre others to it as these shepheards did as soone as the Angels were departed from them this must teach us not to let good motions die but as soone as wee understand them wee must bee ready to set them aworke Of which there be two reasons First because in time the devill will bee very laborious to quench them as Matth. 13. when the good man had sowen good seede in his field the envious man did sow tares so when there is any good motions in us the devill will labour to hinder them therefore as soone as may bee wee should labour to set them aworke Secondly because the first motions are the swiftest and the strongest as the Apostle saith to the Galatians yee did runne well what did let you at the first so thou did'st runne well the first motions were swiftest therefore seeing they are swiftest and strongest we must not let them die but labour to set them a worke But what did they exhort one another unto to goe to Bethlem and why to Bethlem because Christ was borne there Bethlem was one of the smallest townes yet because he was borne there thither they went We have out Bethlem as well as they the place of preaching of prayer and the place where the Sacraments are administred this is Bethlem this is the place where Christ was borne therefore howsoever the place is meane whither we may goe yet thither must we goe howsoever others goe to other cities and great places yet wee must goe to Bethlem Mark 1. 33. All the city was gathered together at the doore of Peters mothers house and yet it was but a meane place onely a fishermans cottage neverthelesse because there was a healing power of Christ thither they went and resorted therefore howsoever the place be meane if Christ may be found there thither let us goe when others goe to places of disorder of pleasure of gaming to places of drinking and swilling let us goe to Bethlem to places of preaching prayer where we shall not onely see Christ lying in the cratch as the shepheards did but even in heaven gloriously sitting on his throne as blessed Stephen saw him But why did they goe to Bethlem the text saith to see the things that the Lord would shew them this may teach us when we have knowledge to make use of it to the bettering of us in our life and conversation many have knowledge but they be not bettered by it whereof the Lord complaineth Esai 42. 20. Seeing many things but keepest them not and therefore when God doth give a man knowledge and he be not bettered by it and in his life
suffer all his paines at one time but there was some space and intermission betweene them which must teach us that it is the Goodnesse and Mercy of God that all our afflictions come not upon us at one time but there is a space betweene them this the Prophet Esai 57. 16. doth note as a mercy of God where it is said For I will not contend for ever neither will I bee alwaies wroth for the Spirit should faile before me and the Soules which I have made all our troubles shall not come at an instant nor all our temptations lest our spritis should faile but there shall bee a space and a time betwixt them so Matth. 4. it is said that the devill left Christ for a season hence appeares not onely the goodnesse but the mercy of God that the devill doth leave tempting of us for a season yea even God himselfe doth leave and cease to bring all his afflictions upon us at one time still there is some intermission and space betweene them that so wee may bee quite overcome but may have a breathing time to recover our strength againe The third is that it was the ninth houre of the day a little before his death This must teach us that greatest extremitie for the most part of a Christian is at the time of his death so we see Esai 38. 12. Hezekiah complaining Mine age is departed and is remooved from me like a shepheards tent I have cut off like a weaver my life he will cut me off with pining sicknesse from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me c. so in the Revelation wee see because the devill hath but a short time to continue therfore he rages and takes on the more and bends all his forces to bring troubles upon the people of God There bee two especiall times that the devill is busiest to disturbe Gods people first at their entrance into a Christian calling so Matth. 4. no sooner was Christ called to his office but he was straight-way tempted of the devill the same still he doth to us no sooner are we entred into a Christian course or calling having given our names to Christ but we are assailed by him I have shewed you heretofore if a prisoner breake prison the jaylor will lay all the country about till he hath gotten him againe and if he take him he will lay more irons upon him and use him worse than he did before so the devill doth when a man is once converted and brought to God escaped out of his thraldome hee will labour by all meanes to catch hold on him againe so that wee see at the entrance of a Christian into an holy course the devill will bee most busie Secondly at the time our death when because the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death the devill thrusts himselfe in with death that he might make death more bitter and strong thereby to destroy us if hee could Ioh. 14. 30. saith Christ for the prince of the world commeth and hath nought in me so Gen. 15. when the Sunne was downe the fowles came and fell upon the carkasse of the beast that Abraham had killed for a sacrifice in like maner when sorrow is at hand or when death is come the devill will be most busie to hinder us therefore being forewarned wee should labour to get faith patience repentance with other graces fitting for a Christian that so we may stand at that time before God and bee able to say with Christ Ioh. 14. 30. The prince of the world commeth and hath nought in me Secondly what he complained of that he was forsaken of God it is a very strange thing that the Sonne of God should be forsaken yet very true in respect of the bitternesse of his passion and sense of his humanity he being oppressed with infinite dolour and paines and this complaint of his is not of desperation and diffidence for he cals God his God but of contention and strife with his most bitter and sorrowfull tentation This must teach us that if the Sonne of God was forsaken when hee found sinne upon him though it were but imputed then wee may bee sure that if God finde sinne upon us he will forsake us Here we are to observe foure things 1. What it is to be forsaken 2. How farre He was forsaken 3. For what Hee was forsaken 4. His carriage in this estate First to be forsaken of God is nothing else but to want the gratefull presence of God in goodnesse and grace Now there is a twofold presence there is a generall presence to sustaine and uphold us in our being and actions which is common to all thus the devill hath the presence of God which is that presence Paul speaketh of in the Acts In him we live moove and have our being let a Carpenter make a house and when he hath done let him goe whether hee will the house will stand but it is not so with us for God when hee hath made us must uphold us or else wee fall to the grave and come to nothing as a staffe in a mans hand as long as he holds it so long the staffe stands but if hee withdraw his hand it fals so it is with the world and all things in it Now besides this generall presence there is a particular presence in grace and goodnesse such as is spoken of Psalm 145. 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth So that God is not onely present to sustaine and uphold us in the life of nature but to be present with us in the life of grace therfore to want the presence of God is to want the comfortable feeling of God in grace and goodnesse this is meant by being forsaken of God to finde Gods angry countenance against us for sinne Secondly how farre forth Christ and so a Christian may be said to bee forsaken I answer two waies 1. The one is in the life of nature 2. The other is in the life of grace First in the life of nature when God takes away our sight our strength our health our breath or life and thus the dearest servants of God may bee forsaken thus Christ was forsaken and the Theefe on the crosse he was not freed of his bodily paines yea and hee lost his life too but God did not forsake him in the life of grace hee gave him his Spirit and grace still And thus the poore Martyrs were forsaken in the life of nature Heb. 11. it is said some were racked and some were sawne asunder I but God did not forsake them in the life of grace therefore they suffered willingly the spoiling of their goods thus the dearest of Gods servants may be forsaken yea this kinde of forsaking is needefull as in some diseases when a Physitian comes and seeth a man hath abundance of blood whereby he is subject
of this that this Iesus whom they have despised and condemned shall bee their Iudge at last Now I thought to have passed over the condemnation of Christ and to have spoken little of it but we must doe as the Goldsmith who will not lose the least fine of his gold but he will gather it up so we should not lose the least thing or circumstance touching Christ but should gather all up as in the Law wee read the Lord commanded that the ashes and cinders of the burnt offerings should be gathered up and laid in a cleane place in like manner wee should doe gather up the very ashes and cinders of the sufferings of Christ wherefore our hearts must bee the cleane place to lay them up in that so wee may thinke of the great love of Christ to us and be provoked to love him againe who hath loved us and washed away our sinnes Now Christ was condemned in two courts in the Ecclesiasticall before Annas and Caiphas and in the Temporall before Pilate the one whereof was a forerunner of the other and the reason is because the gouernment was not in the hands of the Iewes who could not put any to death but in the hands of the Romans under whom Pilate was the chiefe governour therefore wee will onely speake of the condemnation of Christ under Pilate where we will observe these foure things 1. How many times Pilate sought to deliver Christ. 2. What was the meanes he used 3. What made him stand so stiffe for Christ. 4. What drew him on to condemne Christ contrary to the light of his judgement First how many times Pilate laboured to cleere Christ before hee condemned him and that appeares to bee foure severall times first when they accused him saying they had found this man perverting the people and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar saying that he is Christ our king Pilate asked him saying Art thou the king of the Iewes unto which he answered and said Thou saiest it then said Pilate to the high Priests and to the people I finde no fault in him indeed it is true that he is a king but his kingdome hee saith is not of this world therefore Caesar neede not to bee afraid of him I see no cause of death in him you say hee is a king what though it is of no worldly kingdome as Caesars is but it is a kingdome of another world therefore Pilate laboured to free Christ at this time Now in the answer of Christ to Pilate we observe two things First that hee doth professe hee is a king this is that same good confession Paul speaketh of 1 Tim. 6. 12. who under Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession therefore seeing Christ is a king wee must so accept of and receive him as to bee ordered by him in our life and conversation and governed by his Lawes because hee is the King of the Church and of all the world it is the sinne of the time that men can be contented to have Christ to bee their Saviour and redeemer to save them by his bloud but they cannot abide to have him to be their King as Luke 19. they say Wee will not have this man to rule over us so men now adayes can be contented to have Christ to teach and to preach to them but they cannot abide to have him to be their King to rule or raigne over them in their life and conversation but for this cause was he borne and for this cause did he die therefore if thou wilt ever raigne with him in the kingdome of glory thou must be ruled by him in the kingdome of Grace Secondly he saith his kingdome is not of this world it doth not consist in the pompe and glory of this world for Christs kingdome is of another world in heaven a kingdome above the clouds of glory and happinesse Which must teach us that seeing Christs kingdome is not of this world they that be subjects of Christ must not looke for especially worldly matters or preferments therefore in sicknesse paines troubles and afflictions we must say my kingdome is not of this world but above the clouds it is an heavenly kingdome a kingdome of glory and happinesse my comfort is laid up there when sicknesse and troubles are come upon a man hee must carry up his thoughts and say though I am sicke poore in distresse and disgrace yet it shall not alwayes be so with me for my kingdome is not of this world If the heire of a great King should be in a strange place and hardly used there he would gather up his thoughts and think with himselfe I am but a stranger here and therfore they use me hardly but when I come home againe into mine owne kingdome then it shall be otherwise with me so when wee bee hardly used here we must consider that wee are strangers and therefore they doe hardly use us but when we come at our Fathers house we shall have more comfort than this world can afford us Againe seeing our kingdome is not of this world but a heavenly kingdome the glory whereof farre exceeds all the transitory things of this life therefore wert thou a subject of the best kingdome of the world know it is nothing unlesse thou be a subject of Christs kingdome it is nothing to bee a citizen of the best citie in the world unlesse thou be a citizen of the kingdome of Christ Therefore labour to be a subject in the kingdome of grace to live by faith to be obedient to Gods Commandements to be patient in troubles and then thou shalt be a subject in the kingdome of glory The Queene of the South came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisdome of Salomon which when shee came and heard she thought it a great preferment to be one of his subjects saith shee Happie are thy men happie are these thy servants which stand continually before thee c. Now if it were a happie thing to be a subject in that kingdome much more is it a happie thing to be a subject in the kingdome of Christ therefore let us labour to bee subjects to Christ in the kingdome of grace that wee may be subjects in the kingdome of glroy The second time that Pilate laboured to free Christ and to set him at libertie was after he had sent him to Herod it is said That he called together the high Priests and the rulers of the people and said unto them yee have brought this man unto me as one that perverteth the people and behold I having examined him before you have found no fault in this man concerning those things whereof ye accuse him no nor yet Herod for I sent you to him and loe nothing worthy of death is done unto him This ye see is the second time that Pilate sought to deliver Christ Which may teach us to be constant in a good course although things doe not succeed
all would come to confusion if God should not restraine him 1 Sam. 25. 32. when David was in his heate hee thought to have killed Nabal and all his houshold but when hee met with Abigail and was come to himselfe Blessed be the Lord God of Israel saith hee which hath sent thee this day to meete mee And blessed bee thy advice and blessed bee thou which hast kept mee this day from comming to shed blood and from avenging my selfe with mine owne hand So when we be in our heate then we care not what we doe but if we once come to our selves then we can say O blessed be God for such a man and such a woman that kept me from sinning against him When Balaam went to curse the People of God for a bribe if the Asse had not spoken to him and made a stoppe the Angell of the Lord had killed him The Asse saw the danger but hee saw it not therefore the Lord gave Balaam cause to blesse God for his Asse even so if there bee any thing that stops us from committing sinne and though it be but an Asse we have cause to blesse God for it The fourth generall point that wee observed in Christs condemnation was What made Pilate to condemne Christ And that appeares to be 1. The importunitie of the Iewes 2. The feare of losing Caesars favour First the importunitie of the Iewes for the more hee pleaded for him the worse they were the more they cried out crucifie him crucifie him At last being wearied with their importunacie hee yeelds to them and condemneth him Here we may see what a wicked thing it is to yeeld to any bad thing for any importunitie whatsoever Adam yeeldeth to his wife and so brought death upon himselfe and his posteritie and was thrust out of Paradise So Sampson yeeldeth to Delilah and lost both his eyes If a man yeeld because hee would have rest he shall bee condemned for it If it bee good to stand out in the cause of Christ the first and the second time it is good to stand out to the end As if one be set to keepe away birds he cannot excuse himselfe to say the birds are busie and I cannot make them leave but the more busie the birds be the more busie he should be to suppresse them So the more wee be importuned to sinne aud the more busie the Divell is to tempt us the more busie we should be in Prayer and meditation to suppresse the temptations of the Divell It was Iosephs glory that notwithstanding his Mistris lay at him day by day yet he yeelded not to her So this shall be the glory of a Christian that notwithstanding ghee bee tempted to sinne from day to day hee yeelds not to it It is noted of Christ that when the Tempter ended the Angels came and ministred unto him So when wee have stood out in temptations and they be ended the Angels will come and minister to us a Cup of comfort or a Crowne of glory But Pilate because he stood not out in the cause of Christ as hee had begunne but yeelded lost all his glory therefore it is said in our Creede He suffered under Pontius Pilate which is a marke of disgrace unto him to the Worlds end The second thing that drew Pilate to condemne Christ was feare of losing Caesars favour for when the Iewes told him that if he let him goe hee was not Caesars friend this did so perplexe and amaze him that he sinnes against his conscience and inclines to the worser side Hee had good affections and stood out in the cause of Christ when all were against him but when it came to this that if he stood out still he should lose Caesars favor or else Gods favour He makes choyse of Caesars favour So it is with the world still so long as God and Caesar goe together so long as the world and religion goe together so long they hold but when it comes to this that they must lose Caesars favour or Gods favour they will leave God and choose Caesars favour But it is remarkable and worthy our observation that he that will make himselfe a friend to the world may have indeed Caesars favour for a time but he shall be sure to have God his enemie and then perhaps Caesar too as we may see in Pilate who laboured for Caesars favour and chose that before Gods favour yet through the just judgement of God he lost Caesars also for upon complaint made he was sent for and put from his Office banished the Land and so through griefe and vexation laying hands upon himselfe desperately killeth himselfe Let men take heed of this how they keepe mens favour and lose Gods for if it be so with them they may looke for Pilates judgement to have neither of them both because the doe not choose Gods favour above all SERMON XIX MATTH 27. 31. And after that they had mocked him they tooke the Robe off from him and put his owne raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him HAving spoken of the sufferings and condemnation of Christ in the next place we come to speake of his Crucifying wherein divers things are to bee considered 1. Why he must die the death of the Crosse 2. How he was led to be Crucified 3. The place where he was Crucified 4. The time and manner when 5. How Christ carried himselfe upon the Crosse First why of all other deaths He must die the cursed death of the Crosse for foure Reasons First because of all other deaths this was accursed by the Law of God none else was burning stoning dying by the sword or any other there is no curse annexed unto but to this one onely Cursed is every one that hangeth on tree Gal. 3. 13. Deut. 21. 23. So that he died not the least death but the worst that might be even the cursed death of the crosse and it was because he would take our curse upon him for by reason of our sins we deserved to be cursed both in life and death that we might be blessed in our deaths and freed of the curse hee was contented to take this same accursed death upon him Let us therefore never forget this great love of Christ to us yea remember what Saint Paul saith to Philemon concerning Onesimus If he oweth thee any thing set it on my skore I will satisfie thee for it So Christ doth ingage himselfe to God for us to take our curse on him that we may be blessed to die for us that we may live to be forsaken of God that wee may be received of God therefore let us never forget this love of Christ to us as Iohn 13. Saint Peter wonders at Christs humility Wilt thou wash my feet So we may much more wonder at the humility of Christ that he that was the Sonne of God higher than the Angels would die the cursed death
of the Crosse that wee might be blessed die a death temporall that we might not die a death eternall Secondly because of all deaths it was a shamefull death for it was not onely a cursed death but a shamefull death therefore Paul saith Hebr. 12. 2. Who endured the Crosse and despised the shame The reason why Christ died this shamefull death was to sanctifie all kindes of deaths to his dying members so that let the death bee never so shamefull if one die in faith or in the pardon of his sinnes in the feare God his death is sanctified unto him he is a happie man Heb. 11. it is said of such They all died in faith they died not all in their beds or of a lingering disease but some of them were racked some stoned some sawne asunder but they all died in faith and therefore they were blessed men what death soeuer they died on So let men labour to die in faith and in the feeling of Gods love in the pardon of their sinnes then let their death be what it will be such a one he shall be an happie and a blessed man Thirdly because it was one of the painefullest deaths that was as appeares by these foure reasons First because they that were to die this kind of death were whipped and scourged for so Christs bloud was spent with whipping and scourging that hee was not able to carry his Crosse Secondly because they suffered in the most sensitive parts in the hollow of the hands and feet for these places are the quickest and fullest of sense As Galen saith because there all the ligaments and sinewes make a meeting therefore it must needes be painefull Thirdly because they that were crucified on the Crosse were sore racked For although they had a thing to rest their feete on yet they did hang by the hands with the weight of their whole bodies Therefore Peter saith Acts 5. The God of your Fathers hath raised up Iesus whom yee slue and hanged on the Tree Fourthly because it was a lingring death they were two or three daies a dying Now we may make these two good uses of this point Christ dying such a painful death First to teach us that it is an easie matter to reconcile us to God when wee have sinned wee thinke it an easie matter to bee reconciled to God but it cost Christ a painefull death and therefore it is not a easie but a great thing that must redeeme soules Secondly seeing Christ dyed such a painefull death and overcame that which was sorest wee know that hee will comfortably raise us up from other deaths that wee shall dye of Athanasius giveth a good reason why Christ dyed not an ordinary death as others doe but a painefull death he brings it in against the heretikes for they objected Why did not Christ dye an ordinary death as others doe To this hee answereth that men of ordinary deaths dye because of ordinary infirmities that they can live no longer sicknesse and diseases come upon them which they are not able to withstand but there can be no infirmitie in Christ he is the eternall word the Sonne of God I but why did he not make choice of some other kind of death but would dye such a painefull death To this he answereth that if he had made choice of some other death then they would have thought that hee had not had power to overcome any other death but that But now hee taking any death that they could put upon him even the most painefullest and sorest and having power to overcome that it is evident that hee hath power to overcome any other whatsoever And so gives us comfortable hope that hee will raise us up his members from all other deaths Even as a Champion comming into the field hee will not make choice of the weapon or the man hee is to fight with but will take that which is put upon him so Christ doth not make choice of what death he will dye but hee takes that which the world puts upon him This is the reason why hee dyed not by the sword as Iohn did nor was sawne asunder as Esaiah was nor knocked on the head as Amos was but was crucified So that he triumphing over his death we may know and have comfortable hope that we shall bee raysed from other deaths Fourthly because it was more eminent and apparent to be seene for they that were to be crucified were lifted up that all men might see them Of which two reasons may be given why Christ must dye thus aloft First to conquer the divell the prince of the Ayre in his owne country and at his owne doore And so dedicate a way to heaven and reare a ladder in his death and bloodshed that it might be a step or a scaffold whereby we might climbe up to heaven Secondly Christ dyed aloft that all the world might see and know hee was the meanes of mans reconciliation and redemption Therefore hee dyed not in a corner nor below but that all men might see and behold it aloft as good Moses set up a Brasen Serpent on a pole that so if any were flung with the firy serpent if they could but creepe to their tents and cast up their eyes to the brasen serpent they had helpe so God hath set up Christ on a pole on the Crosse that men may see the meanes of their salvation and redemption and so bee saved Therefore let us doe as Mary and Iohn did creepe to the Crosse of Christ as neere as they could get so that they heard the words of Christ speaking to them upon the the crosse in like manner though wee cannot heare the words of Christ speaking from the Crosse yet let us get as neare as wee can that so some of the warme drop of the blood of Christ may fall into our hearts to comfort and refresh us to clense and to wash away our sinnes The 2. point observ'd in his crucifying was how they led Christ to be crucified And to open it thrughly unto you let us consider these 2. cirūstances 1. Hee was led in his owne Garments 2. They made him beare his owne Crosse First he was led in his owne garments they put on him a purple robe to disgrace him but it is said they pluckt off that and put on his owne garments and that chiefly for these two reasons 1. That he might bee the better knowne to the people 2. To fulfill the scripture that had foretold that his garments shuld be divided Wherein we may consider that God that a secret hand in it the Iewes were in hast because of the preparation of the Sabath the 6. hour ere they could get Christ condemned about noone and yet they must needs tarry to put off the purple robe to put on his own garments which must teach us that the wicked for all their rage heate and
was the golden Key that did open heaven to all true beleevers our sins did shut up heaven but the death of Christ is as a Key to open heaven therfore blessed be God for the death of Christ because he hath made heaven open to us Act. 7. 56. Steven before his death saw heaven open and Christ standing at his right hand ready to receive him So it is a sweet comfort to a Christian when he comes to die that hee seeth heaven open and Christ standing at Gods right hand ready to receive him If a man should come to a Kings Palace and finde all the doores shut and locked up fast and a friend should come and put into his hands a key that hee might goe from chamber to chamber till hee came to the Kings Presence this would be a great comfort So the death of Christ is as a golden key to open heaven to us that wee may come into the Presence-chamber of God therefore blessed be God for the death of Christ Secondly it was to shew that the Ceremoniall Law was abrogated by the death of Christ The Priests must not offer any more sacrifices for now all the ceremonies had an end and by his death is cancelled the hand-writing that was against us as it is Ephes. 2. 14 15. He is our peace who hath made both one and hath broken downe the middle wall of Partition betweene us Having abolished in his flesh the enmity even the Law of Commandements contained in ordinances for to make in himselfe of twaine one new man so making peace therefore who ever shall bring in againe any of the Leviticall ceremonies either in whole or in part he doth set up the veile that Christ hath taken downe Act. 15. 28. the Apostle saith It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us to lay no other burthen upon you than that which is necessary therefore it is a dangerous thing to bring in the Leviticall ceremonies againe Saint Ierome saith well Thou sayest that it is not a dangerous thing to bring in the Leviticall ceremonies but I tell thee and proclaime against thee that that man which shall bring in these ceremonies hee casteth himselfe head-long into the pit of hell The Schoole-men doe distinguish the Ceremonies into three times First as Thomas Aquinas saith there was a time when the ceremonies were profitable and that was before Christ because they were commanded of God Secondly after Christs death they were dead but not deadly till the Gospell was planted And then lastly they were both dead and deadly and therefore it is a dangerous thing to bring in these ceremonies againe in whole or in part Thirdly to shew that by that he had cancelled or torne downe the veile of our sinnes that made a separation betweene God and us that wee could not see the face of God as Esay 59. 2. But your iniquities have made a separation beâ— weene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that he will not heare Now they are taken downe and he hath hanged up another veile in the roome thereof that though our sinnes have hid Gods face from us yet in the death of Christ they are taken downe he having hanged up another veile in place of the other to looke thorow and behold us the veile of his flesh as Saint Paul saith Hebr. 10. 20. for when God looked on us he looked thorow the veile of Christs flesh or else if he had looked upon us in our selves there is such a deale of sinne and corruption that it would have made God to abhorre us and to that end Christ with the veile of his flesh hath covered all our sinnes as the Prophet David speakes Psal 85. 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquities of thy people and covered all their sinnes The fourth Reason was to shew that the veile of ignorance was taken away in the Law for the Law was covered with a veile which was the reason why Mâ—ses face was covered with a veile as Saint Paul saith 2 Cor. 3. 13. but by the death of Christ this veile is taken away in the preaching of the Gospell And therefore seeing this veile is taken away if men remaine ignorant how will they answer it at the day of judgement The Papists hang up another veile and what is that but the veile of an unknowne tongue they reade the Scriptures to the people in a tongue they doe not understand and so set up the veile againe that Christ hath taken downe therefore let them looke how they will answer this to Christ at the day of Iudgement The second thing is the rending of the stones how the stones did cleave asunder at the death of Christ which hammers and other instruments could not cleave therefore we may see what stupiditie and hardnesse of heart there is in us that the stones did cleave and the earth quake at the death of Christ and yet we are never moved nor stirred at it therefore let us pray to God that the death of Christ may bee powerfull to move and to stirre up our hearts Thirdly The graves were opened and the bodies of the Saints which slept arose and went into the holy Citie and appeared to many even men that had been dead along time that were dissolved to dust and ashes by the power of Christs death the graves did open and they did rise againe to shew us that all the Saints one day shall rise by the power of Christs death the graves shall open Death cannot keepe them downe but they shall rise againe which is an excellent comfort to a man in misery all that the world can doe is to take away life which when it is gone they turne to dust and ashes yet a time will come when the Saints shall be raised to joy and glory the graves shall be opened by the power of Christs death for as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly and then was cast upon the drie land when the Lord spake unto the Whale so Christ will speake to the earth to the sea and to the beasts that have devoured men and they shall give up their dead and as the graves did open by the power of the death of Christ so all the people of God at the time that God hath appointed shall have their graves opened by his power and death and their bodies shall rise by the power of Christs resurrection to everlasting happinesse and glory The next thing is The effects and fruits of Christs death whereof because I have spoken often heretofore I may bee the shorter in it at this time The first is that Christs death doth free us from eternall death Iohn 3. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne to die for us that whosoever beleeved in him should not perish but have everlasting life So also Iohn 5. 24. Verily verily I say unto you
long as he is in troubles and crosses of this life so long he is contemned and despised but when he is in the grave then hee is honoured as wee see the Iewes did persecute the prophets in their life time but when they were dead they did paint and garnish their tombes therefore our Saviour saith ye are witnesses unto your selves that yee are the sonnes of them that murthered the prophets when they were alive then they could not abide them but. when they were dead then they did honour them and so in Prov. 10. 7. The memoriall of the just shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot The sight of a good man is grievous to a number they cannot abide to see his face but let God take him away and then they honour him it is not so with the wicked man for hee hath his honour whiles he liveth here every one doth applaud him and speake to him faire but let him dye and then his name rots as Iob 21. 17. it is said How oft is the candle of the wicked put out and how oft commeth their destruction upon them where we may see the life of a wicked man compared to a candle that when it is light every man takes delight to looke on it but let it be put out and it leaveth a stinking snuffe behinde it even so it is with a wicked man as long as he liveth every man seeketh to him and many doe applaud him but if he be dead then he leaveth nothing but a stinke behind and therefore this is a comfort to a Christian man that though he be despised here while he liveth yet he shall be honoured in the grave Thirdly it was a new grave wherein never man lay and here was a speciall providence of God in it Now there were two causes why he was buried in a new grave First lest the Iewes should surmise that it was not Christ that did rise againe but some other that was buried before him therefore he was buried in a grave wherein never man was laid before him Secondly lest the Iewes should thinke he did not rise by his owne power but by the power of some holy man that had beene buried there before even as the man spoken of 2 king 13. 22. when he was put into the grave of Eliseus and did touch his dead bones life came into him againe so lest they should thinke that some holy Man had beene buried there and by touching of his dead bones life came into him againe therefore wisedome of God appointed that he should bee buried in a Grave wherein never man was so that God would stop all occasions of surmising to the contrary In Hos. 2. 6. Behold saith the Lord I will hedge up the way with thornes and make a wall that he shall not finde her pathes some take this way to be the way of affliction but it is a Metaphor taken from men that doe inclose beasts in a pasture that do thrust bushes into every gap because they should not creepe out even so because wee are ready to creepe out at every gap therefore the Lord doth stop them that so wee may not wander here and there Fourthly it was in a garden that as the first Adam did commit sinne in a garden so the second Adam came to bury sinne and utterly to destroy it in a garden I but why did Ioseph make his grave in the midst of his garden seeing the garden is a speciall place of delight the reason is that he might remember death in the midst of his pleasures and to put him in minde that he must lye there and be dissolved to dust which doth teach us a speciall point of Instruction that wee ought to remember death in the midst of all our pleasures and delights our Saviour in his life often speaks of death as Matth. 20. 18. and Luk. 18. 31. When Christ was transfigured on the mount and Moses and Elias talked with him it is said They appeared in glory and spake of his decease Luk. 9. 31. so in the midst of our mirth and of our delights and pleasures we should thinke of death Saint Ierome saith it was the custome amongst the Romans that in the midst of their triumphs there was one at the backe of them who cryed out Remember thou art a mortall man and for all this applause that thou must dye so it was the manner of Egyptians that at their merry meetings to bring in a Sceleton the picture of a dead man whose flesh was puld off the bones and one said unto them Eate and drinke and bee merry for thou shalt bee such an one after death Now if the Romanes in their Triumphs had their remembrance of death and the Egyptians at their merriments then how much more should wee that be Christians thinke of death they had but the light of nature and we have the light of Gods grace We reade Genes 22. When Abraham saw the place afarre off where he should sacrifice his son he tooke the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his sonne Isaac and he tooke the fire in his hand and a knife and they went both together so when wee see afarre off the place of death or the time when we shall dye by contemplation or meditation that wee are old or that sicknesse is upon us wee should fit and prepare our selves for it that so wee may dye in faith and in the favour of God in assurance of the pardon of our sinnes that so when wee part with this world we may enter into joy and happinesse Fourthly we are to observe the manner of Christs buriall wherein divers things are to be considered As first that Ioseph before hee would take downe the dead body of Christ would aske leave of Pilate for the bodies of the condemned be in the hands of the Magistrates This was the reason why he would not take downe the body without leave Secondly when he had leave he goes and puls the nailes and spicks out of the hands and feete of Christ takes his body down and gets it on his backe and in this meditation it is likly said Lord thou hast borne the burthen of my sins and now I will beare the burthen of thy body Thirdly that Nicodemus did bring an hundred pound of sweet odors of Myrrh and Aloes to imbalme his body and lest the Iewes should thinke it were superfluity it is said It was the maner of the Iewes to doe so Fourthly when they had imbalmed his body Ioseph gets a kircher and tyed upon his jawes and wrapped up his wounds and sores with fine linnen and laid him in a faire sheet and wrapped him in it Fiftly when this was done they layd him into the earth the one at the head and the other at the feet and then they rowled a stone upon the grave that no body might doe any hurt unto the dead body
power of Christ and had tasted of his sweet graces and of the excellencie that was in him so if men had tasted of the sweete things that are in Christ they would long after him therefore Christ sayes to the woman of Samaria Iohn 4. If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee Give me drinke thou wouldest have asked of him and hee would have given thee living water This was the reason why the two Disciples constrained Christ to tarrie with them because they had felt of the goodnesse and of the excellency that was in him Secondly it is said the doors were shut for feare of the Iewes this is a strange thing that they shut the Doore for feare of the Iewes they were bold to confesse the name of of Christ before all men and now they are afraid of the Iewes and no marvell for they had killed and crucified him and therefore they would make no scruple to kill them which may teach us two things First that we should bee carefull to avoid all needlesse dangers as Matth. 16. Our Saviour saith If any man will follow mee let him deny himselfe take up his crosse and follow mee If it bee a crosse that God layes upon us we must take it up with both hands but wee must take heed of making crosses to our selves We read Luke 22. That Christ prayes that this cup might passe away so we must pray that this trouble and affliction may passe away but if it be the will of God that it shall abide with us then we must willingly yeeld to it Indeede the crosse is needfull when God layes it upon us but we must take heed how we bring needlesse crosses upon our selves If a Physitian should give us ranke poyson hee would so temper and qualifie it as that it should doe us good but if wee take it our selves it may poyson us So God this same skilfull Physitian if he lay the crosse and trouble upon us it will turne to our good but if we take it our selves it may trouble and hurt us therefore it is good to avoyde all needlesse dangers or crosses The second thing that it doth teach us is that Every man must measure his owne actions by his strength the more strength a man hath the more courage and the lesse strength the lesse courage so it was with the Disciples the more strength the more courage they had in the cause of Christ and the lesse strength the lesse courage here is the question answered by that which hath beene spoken of before whether it be lawfull to flie in the time of persecution If one hath strength and courage to stand then hee were best to abide it but if he have not strength then he were better to fly as Marke 15. There was a yong man that did follow Christ in a linnen garment whom they caught hold on and hee left the linnen cloth and fled from them naked But did he well to flie from Christ I answere he did well to flie for he had not strength to resist nor meanes to prevaile The second thing is The manner how hee did appeare and that was when the Doores were shut Hence wee learne no Doores can keepe out Christ when Paul was in prison and the Doores shut he came to Paul so that all the Doores could not keepe out Christ There bee diverse opinions how this could be some be of the minde that the Doores gave way to Christ and did open as the iron gates opend when the Angell did fetch Peter out of prison as S. Ierome saith that the Creature gave place to the Creator A schooleman saith that the Doore did open so softly and shut again as that they did not perceive it others think that he did so attenuate his body and make it so subtile as that it could passe through the Doore or any little chinke or Crevise as the Sun passeth through the glasse window Others againe thinke there is such power in a glorified body as that it is able to passe through any solid body as a man may passe through water or the Aire Therefore Christs body rising a glorified body was able to passe through the Doore so our bodies glorified if they were in an Iron or Steele Chest in a Marble stone or Tombe it could not hold them a glorified body is able to passe through them Hence the Papists would prove their transubstantiation that seeing he could make his body passe through the Doore he could make it passe into the bread and wine To this I answer there is great difference between them for although he passed through the Door yet he was in the same proportion figure dimension that he had before but in the Sacrament there are not the same proportions nor the same figures nor the same dimension so there is a great difference between them Thirdly the Effect of this appearing when Christ came amongst them hee said Peace bee unto you this is a strange speech of Christ to say to them peace bee unto you seeing some of them had betrayed him some denied him and all had fled away from him yet hee sayes Peace be unto you as if they had not offended him the cause was they had repented of their sinnes condemned and judged themselves therefore Christ brings peace unto them So though we sinne against God and offend him yet if wee weepe for our sinnes repent of them and condemne and judge our selves hee will bring peace unto us Here wee may see what Christ brought out of the grave with him to his Disciples even as when a father is absent from his childe hee comes home comfortably so Christ being absent from his Disciples brings out of the dens of death and out of the Grave peace with God with the holy Angels with all the Creatures and peace of their owne conscience with him Therefore if any man shall demand and say Christ indeede was crucified and he died and was laid into the Grave but what good have wee by these things To this I answere that he hath brought the greatest good with him that may be for he hath brought peace with God with the holy Angels with all the Creatures and peace with our Consciences this is a great comfort to a Christian for though hee bee not a great man in the world nor one of the brave gallants yet he is a happy man because Christ hath brought a peace with him unto him Further this may teach us where we are to seeke our peace no where but in the death of Christ therefore if thou wouldest have peace with God and in thy owne conscience seeke it in the death of Christ there thou mayest have it if thou hast peace which doth not arise from hence it cannot bee true peace nor the peace of conscience till thou canst see by the eye of faith Christ dying upon the crosse bleeding in the Garden
the true glasse of the Word of God there sinne will appeare in his true proportion and right quantitie But why is the neglect of doing good to his poore members so great a sinne I answere because in neglecting of them wee condemne Christ for they be the members of Christ and so Saint Paul saith 1 Corinth 8. 12. Now when ye sinne against the bretheren and wound their consciences yee sinne against Christ the contempt of Christ is lapped up in the contempt of his servants It is a good thing therefore for a man to bee mercifull and pittifull especially to the poore Saints and people of God and to relieve them in their wants and necessities so farre forth as a man is able and occasion shall be offered Saint Iames tels us that there shall be judgement mercilesse to him that shewes no mercy and Matth. 3. It is said Blessed art the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie therefore it is a good thing for a man to shew mercie to the Saints and People of God and thus much of the reason Now we come to the last point and that is what shall become of Christ and what be shall doe when he bee hath finished up the last judgement This Saint Paul shewes us 1 Cor. 15. from the 24. verse to the 28. the sâ—mme whereof is this He shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all In which two things offer themselves to be observed 1. What he shall doe He shall render up his Kingdome to God 2. The End of it that God may be all in all First what â—e shall doe he shall render up the Kingdome to God Now this may be conceived two wayes First he shall render up the Kingdome that is all the Children of God the Elect and chosen hee shall bring them to God and deliver them to him that hee may blesse them and receive them into Heaven that he may be made partaker of all the glory that is prepared for them and he shall present them to God in the merits of his death and say Father these bee they that I have prayed for in the Mount swet in the Garden dyed for on the crosse and shed my most pretious blood for Therefore Father râ—â—eive them and blesse them hitherto have I kept them in thy Name thus hee shall render up the kingdome unto God when hee shall bring all the godly and holy people to the contemplation and beholding of the great glory prepared for them We heard out of Gen. 27. 3. how Ioseph tooke certaine of his brethren and did present them to Pharaoh so the true Ioseph Iesus Christ shall carry all the Elect and chosen people of God present them before him and desire him to receive them into glory and to bestow the best of Heaven upon them so Christ shall render up the Kingdome Wee read in Philemon when Onesimus had runne away from his master Saint Paul meets with him and sends him backe againe to his Master with a letter in his hand to the end his Master might receive him but Christ will doe much more for us hee will not onely send us with a letter in our hands to God but hee will take us by the hand and present us to God in the merits of his death that God may receive and blesse us Secondly he shall render up the kingdome that is his governement and office Now we cannot come to God without a Mediator all that we doe now is by meanes of a spokes-man but when Christ shall bring us home to God when we shall bee brought to Heaven then wee shall have recourse unto God without a spokes-man then we shall not need a Mediator and thus Christ shall render up the kingdome that is hee shall give up his office and his government into the hands of God A learned man thus expresseth it there is a number of Rebels that bee up in Armes against the king who makes his sonne Generall and sends him out to subdue the Rebels to shew mercy to those that would submit themselves to him and to execute and put to death them that would not which when the kings sonne hath done he returnes home againe to his father and tels him that he had done what hee was sent for and then renders up his Generalship to live with his father as he did before so God hath sent his Sonne here into the World to reconcile unto himselfe all his Elect people and to subdue his enemies when Christ hath performed this then he delivers up his office and lives with the Father as before Adam in the time of his innocency and Communion with God was without a Mediator so when wee are all brought home to God againe into Heaven then wee shall have communion with God without a Mediator Now because this is a hard point and that which some Divines stumble at therefore I will make it as plaine as I can A man that hath sore eyes he will have silke to hang before them or he must have a glasse to see by but when his eyes bee well hee will take away the glasse and lay aside his silkes so as long as wee were in our sinnes wee could not deale with God but wee must have our silkes it must bee by a Mediator but when our sinnes shall be healed then wee may lay aside our silkes and we shall see the face of God without a Mediator But here a question may be made some may may say How shall Christ render up the Kingdome seeing it is said Luk. 1. 33. that of his kingdome there shall be no end so Daniel 2. it is said His Kingdome shall not passe to another To this I answere His Kingdome shall continue still but not in the same forme the forme shall be altered for now he raignes as Man then as God now the glory of the Godhead is shadowed by the Manhood and then the glory of the Manhood shall be darkened by the Godhead not that the Manhood of Christ shall noâ— remaine or that the glory of it shall bee lesse than now but it shall be obscured as it were by a greater light I will make it plaine by a similitude light a candle in a darke night and it shines and giveth light but bring it into the bright Sunne-shine and the brightnesse and splendor of the Sunne darkens the light of the candle though it have the same light that it had before so though there bee the same glory in the Manhood of Christ that was before yet the glory and splendor of the Godhead shall so farre goe beyond the Manhood of Christs former manifestation as it shall darken that glory and thus much for the first point Secondly The End why he shall render up his kingdome to God that he may be all in all Here God is not all in all for there are many excellencies in the World Angels
the Apostle saith All things shall worke to the good of them that love God There be many things that seeme to goe against Christians all which yet the Lord turnes to their good the Philistians could not resolve Sampsons riddle but every Christian can as honey came out of the dead body of the Lion so a Christian drawes sweetnesse from the dead body of Christ even in trouble and affliction by perswading of us that God will turne all to our good Thirdly the holy Ghost doth comfort us by perswading of us that God will set an end to all our troubles as it is said Psal 102. That God will arise and have mercy on Sion for the time to have mercy thereon is come even the appointed time is come so also Psal 62. 2. saith he yet hee is my strength and my salvation and my defenceâ— therefore I shall not much be moved Now three wayes the Holy Ghost giveth us comfort in affliction First by perswading us that God will take it away Secondly that if he doth not take it away he will mitigate and asswage it as Psal 18. David saith by my God I have leaped over a wall although God did not take away the wall or though hee doth not make the wall lower yet by the helpe of God I can leape over the wall Thirdly that though he doth not mitigate or asswage it that yet he will give us patience to beare and undergoe it as it is in the Psalme I cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard me and hath renewed my strength therefore we may say with Saint Paul Thankes bee to God who hath comforted us in all our tribulations The second time is In the distresse of Conscience of all distresse there is none like it as Salomon saith Proverb 18. 14. The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities but a wounded Spirit who can beare Now it is the Holy Ghost that doth comfort a man in this distresse First By perswading us that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. Saint Paul saith The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the Children of GOD whereupon Chrysostome saith if GOD should send an Angell or an Archangell and should tell thee that thou art beloved of GOD and that thou art his Childe would not this comfort thee in this distresse of conscience but God hath not sent an Angell or an Archangell onely to perswade thee that thou art the childe of God but hee hath sent his Spirit into thy heart to beare witnesse unto thy spirit that thou art the Childe of God Secondly by perswading us that there is a seede of grace in our hearts as 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not because his seed remaineth in him and Iohn 8. Christ saith He that beleeveth in mee out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water therefore seeing there is a seede of grace remaining in all the faithfull though they goe astray and wander yet they doe as the sheepe cry unto the shepheard and are not at rest till they be brought home to God So we see David did in the Psal 119. saith he I have gone astray like a lost sheepe Lord seeke thy servant for I have not forgot thy Commandements The third speciall time is at the day of death when all comforts faile us then the holy Ghost comforts us by perswading us that God is our Father and that we are going home to him and are at peace with him Thus Iohn 17. 11. Christ saith I come to thee holy Father keepe them in thy Name even these which thou hast given me And 2 Pet. 3. 12. saith he Looking for and hasting unto the comming of the day of God So it should be comfort to a Christian that by death he is going home to God and that he cannot bee at rest till he come there Secondly The Holy Ghost doth comfort us by perswading that Heaven is opened for us and that the Angels are ready to receive us and that the ending of this life is the beginning of a better We read Gen. 26. 6. when Iaakob was going to Padan Aram he laid him downe to sleepe upon a stone where he saw a vision a ladder reared up that reacht to Heaven the Angels ascending and descending thereupon and Christ ready to receive them at the head of the ladder So Acts 7. Stephan at the time of death saw Heaven opened and Christ standing at the right hand of God ready to receive him such comfortable visions shall the people of God have at the time of death at least such comforts as shall be fit to comfort them in this Thirdly By perswading us that although our bodies rot and consume yet one day they shall rise againe to glory and happinesse so Iob saith I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand the last on the Earth and though after my skin worms destroy my body yet shall I see God with my eyes and Iohn 11. 23. Iesus saith to Mortha thy brother shall rise againe to whom Martha replies I know he shall rise in the resurrection at the last day Therefore howsoever our bodies rot and consume in the Grave yet one day they shall rise to glory and happinesse It is a good meditation of a learned man at the time of death and of thy departure thinke of all the good doctrines that have beene taught thee of good Preachers to comfort thy selfe with them remember that Iesus Christ is the Lambe of God that was crucified and killed for thy sinnes and is ready to receive thee who tooke order in his last Will and Testament for thee as Iohn 17. Father saith he I will that where I am there they be also and to the theefe on the Crosse This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise So rest thy selfe in this hope and goe thy way to thy Christ goe home to Abraham Isaak and Iaakob and to all the holy men departed and such as are behinde shall follow after where we shall all meete together to behold God in glory and sing praises to him world without end So this comfort that we have by the Holy Ghost will stand by us when all comfort will faile The sixth benefit we have by the Holy Ghost is abilitie and power to performe any speciall calling for there is no man that can performe any speciall calling till the holy Ghost hath enabled him as 1 Sam. 10. it is said The Spirit of God came upon Saul and made him fit for governement and Acts 2. the Spirit of God came downe upon the Apostles and made them fit to preach to all Nations so Exod. 38. 2. it is said of Bezaleel that He was filled with the Spirit of God in wisedome understanding knowledge and in all workemanship to finde out curious workes in gold silver and in brasse So there is no
wouldst have Christ to finish up thy life in glory and brightnesse lay no sad grounds no blacke colors of sin and corruption for a foundation therefore if we would have Christ to honour our bodies it must be our care to repent us of our sins to get faith in Christ to keepe our bodies pure and cleane to possesse them in holinesse and then wee may have comfort that God will honour them at the day of judgement with brightnesse of Glory Fourthly It shall be immutable and immortall in this life our bodies are subject to changes and alterations as Iob 14. it is said He shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe he vanisheth away as a shadow and never continueth in one stay here our bodies are subject to hunger and thirst to nakednesse cold and diseases but then they shall bee brought to an estate of permanencie that they shall rest in so that they shall not hunger nor thirst nor be naked as Revel 7. 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heate and so also Revel 21. 4. it is said And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall bee no more death neither sorrow neither crying neither shall there be any more paine so then their bodies shall be free of all vexations and then they shall be at rest this we see is cleere by the Scripture and manifest also by reason for it is a ground in nature that all things labour to attaine to their last perfection and so to rest in it but the bodies of the Saints are not yet come to their last perfection while they live here therefore here they cannot bee at rest but at the last day when our bodies shall be brought to an estate of perfection then they shall rest in it and shall not be subject to change or alteration wee see in nature if the shipmans needle be touched with a load stone it turnes and turnes and is not at rest till it stands against the North-pole and if it bee hindered with any thing it stands trembling as if it were discontented but when it commeth there it is at rest and quiet so it is with the bodies of the Saints that are touched with the load-stone that is that have touched Christ by faith they bee not at rest and quiet here but subject to many infirmities of nature but when they come to the estate of perfection there they rest contented and are brought to live with Christ then our bodies shall be immutable and unchangeable In this world our bodies are subject to sicknesse and diseases to paines and aches to the stone gout and to the crampe c. by which death doth enter within our wals and labour to take the castle of our hearts but at that time our bodies shall bee made immutable and unchangeable immortall free from all these exigences therefore what must we doe when wee feele these decayes in nature and these infirmities I answer it is good to take Saint Peters counsell Act. 1. 19. That we should repent and turne unto the Lord that our sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord If a Physitian should give you such a diet that after a few daies taking of it yee should never bee sicke againe should feele no paine nor bee subject to any disease and have thy bodie brought into so good an estate that you should not hunger or thirst any more or be naked this were an excellent state but there is no Physitian in the world can doe it none but our Heavenly Physitian Iesus Christ and that by this meanes Wee should get faith in Christ repentance for our sinnes and walke in holinesse a few dayes while we live here and then he will set our bodies in such an estate as we shall never be sicke nor feele any more paine never bee a hungred or a thirst naked or cold here in this life time we must seeke it therefore let us labour to repent our sins to get faith in Christ and to walke holily here and then our bodies shall bee brought to such an estate as shall not alter and change It is a world to see what meanes men use to keepe their bodies from putrification they will keepe them up in lead imbalme them with sweet spices and lay them in marble yet none of these will serve but the bodies of Kings and Queenes must yeeld to it But doe thou labour to repent of thy sinnes to get faith in Christ to please God and to make conscience of thy wayes and then thy body shall bee brought to such an estate as it shall not bee subject to alter and change but shall bee made immutable and immortall Fifthly They shall bee spirituall bodies In this life our bodies are naturall but then they shall bee spirituall so S. Paul saith in 1 Cor. saith in 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sowen a naturall body it is raised a spirituall body A naturall body in this life a spirituall body in the life to come Now it is not a spirituall body in regard of substance for it shall have breadth and length and thicknesse it shall have parts and dimensions as our bodies have so Luk. 14. when Christ entred into the house and stood amongst them they thought it had beene a Spirit but he tells them that a spirit had not flesh and bloud and bones as wee have Now in two Respects our bodies are said to bee spirituall First Because they shall bee sustained and upheld by the Spirit In this life our bodies are sustained and upheld by meate drinke sleepe and Physicke but then the Spirit of God shall quicken them and they shall have no need of these helpes Wee see Moses was fortie dayes in the mount where hee was so filled with the Glory of God that hee was neither an hungred nor a-thirst neither did hee as farre as wee know desire to sleepe or rest all that time if Moses was thus upheld with the Glory of God without the use of meate and drinke in the estate of mortalitie much more surely shall the bodies of the Saints bee upheld in the estate of glorie so that there shall not bee no need of the use of meate drinke sleepe and physick but God shall bee all in all to us Secondly The body shall bee subject to the Spirit and be ready to attend the Spirit in all good things Augustine saith it is not called a spirituall body because as some men thinke the substance of the body is turned into a Spirit but saith hee because it shall bee subject to the Spirit and shall attend it and some of the Schoolemen namely Thomas Aquinas saith that it is an evident truth that in the state of glory the Spirit shall not depend on the body but the body shall bee led by the Spirit and
unto God himselfe is the loveliest and most delightfull object or sight that is and it is that that Christ prayes for Iohn 17. 24. Father I will that they which thou hast given mee bee with mee where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me so also Revel 14. 4. it is said These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins these follow the Lambe wheresoever he goes Hence it is plaine we shall enjoy the eternall presence of Christ which how comfortable will it bee to a poore Christian even the chiefest even the onely thing which hee desires As Saint Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And the Wisemen Matth. 2. 10. when after a long journey and a great deale of travell they found Christ it is said that they rejoyced exceedingly and thought all their paines and travell well bestowed in that they had found him so when a Christian hath found Christ not poore and meane lying in a manger but gloriously sitting upon a Throne what a comfort will this be to him when he shall thinke all his labor and pains well bestowed what a comfort was it to Iosephs brethren Genes 45. 4. in their great distresse when he said I am Ioseph your brother c. so what a comfort will it bee to a poore Christian in that great distresse when Iesus Christ shall say I am your Brother your Saviour and Redeemer that have lost my life for you and shed out my pretious blood to redeeme you and gave my life and soule for your sakes Now enjoy me to your comfort How comfortable I say will this bee to a poore Christian in the perplexitie and great amazement which shall then come on the world Thirdly We shall enjoy the societie of all the holy Saints of Angels and Archangels Prophets and Patriarkes as Christ saith Matth. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit downe with Abraham and Isaak and Iaakob in the Kingdome of Heaven It was the end of Christs death to bring us to Heaven as it is Iohn 11. 52. where speaking of his owne death hee saith And not for that Nation onely but that he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered abroad so that wee must first bee gathered into the kingdome of grace and then into the kingdome of Glory We see what a comfort it is when a few friends meete together at a feast when they have beene absent a long time but much more will our comfort be when we shall meet together in heaven We see how Peter was rapt with joy when he saw but two Prophets with Christ in the transfiguration Matth. 17. 4. saith he It is good being here Let us make three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias if he were thus rapt with joy when he saw but two of the Prophets onely what will it bee when we shall not onely have a sight of two but we shall have societie together with Angels and Archangels Patriarkes and Prophets and all the holy men of God to live with them for ever and ever Thinke what a comfort it will be that after a few dayes spent here in the feare of God Repentance for our sinnes and new obedience we shall enjoy Heaven for ever Therefore thinke if thou canst thinke how comfortable it will bee and doe not lose heavenly things for earthly and for society with sinners doe not lose societie and fellowship with the People of God in the Kingdome of Heaven for ever Fourthly We shall enjoy Lordship over this whole world So we see Psal. 49. 14. where it is said The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning though the People of God be kept low in this life and have but little comfort yet when the great morning shall come the day of judgement then the People of God shall raigne over this whole world and have dominion and Lordship over it So Revel 21. 7. He that overcommeth shall inherit all things that is Hee that overcommeth his lusts and his sins this may be a comfort to a poore Christian though his estate be but meane and poore It may be thou wantest a house to put thy head in or hast but a poore one Be of good comfort if thou labourest to repent thee of thy sinnes and to overcome thy lusts and corruptions then thou shalt possesse the new Heaven and the new Earth and mayest say as it is 1 Pet. 5. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us If a man hath but little in possession and great matters in reversion hee will comfort himselfe and say I thanke God though mine estate bee but meane and poore now yet one day I shall have somewhat that will keepe mee like a man so a Christian may comfort himselfe and say I thanke God although my estate be but meane and poore so as I have but little in possession yet I have a great reversion I shall bee Lord over this whole world Fifthly We shall enjoy a continuall Sabbath to the Lord In this life wee keepe but every seventh day a Sabbath which day to a Spirituall man is the comfortablest but to a Carnall man heavie and irkesome Here we keepe but one of seven but there every day shall bee a Sabbath to them As wee see Esay 66. 23. And it shall come to passe as from one new Moone to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord so Heb. 4. 9. he saith there remaineth therefore a rest to the People of God Now wee keepe but one day of seven but then we shall keepe every day a Sabbath unto the Lord which is exceeding comfortable as it appeares Revel 15. 2. where we see how those that passed over the glassie Sea did sing the song of Moses and the Lambe So all the People of God when they have passed the glassie Sea of this world shall sing songs of deliverance and praise the Lord who hath delivered them from the power of sinne the Divell and Hell The Prophet David Psal 84. 4. saith Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will ever be praising thee and Augustine speaking of this place saith hee what is that which makes a man blessed Every man who is blessed is blessed either by possessing or doing of some thing but then we shall possesse the house it selfe and therefore shall be blessed For a man may dwell in these houses and yet be a poore man but he that dwels in the House of God is rich One may dwell in these houses
Spirit attends the Ministery of his Word 345. The authoritie of the Ministery is to forgive sinnes 346. All true Ministers are sent to Seeke that which was lost Call sinners to repentance Preach deliverance to the captives 342. Why meâ—tion is made of Christs sufferings and not of his miracles 145. †Money ill come by will one day lie heavie on the conscience 184. †Mortification wherein it consist 503. ¶ How Moses may bee said to accuse us 554. ¶ Why Christ dranke myrth mingled with wine 217. ¶ The mystery of God spoken of Revel 10. 7. the end of the world 251. ¶ N REverence due to the Name of God 208. ¶ We are naturally naked in the sight of God 222. †A good nature no signe of grace 494. Nature hardly restrained by grace 516. * Christ tooke on him both the whole Nature of man as soule and body and the infirmities thereof 102. Christ tooke on him such infirmities of mans nature as were not sinnefull but unblameable passions and those not personall but common to all men 102. ¶ Christ tooke the infirmities of mans nature 1. For satisfaction sake 2. To strengthen faith in the incarnation 3. For our example 4. To compassionate us 103. c. Christ tooke mans nature inregard of Necessitie Equitie Fitnesse 103. ¶ The ends why he tooke it are to Redeeme man Restore the lost Image of God in man Advance mans nature Make it dreadfull to the divel Declare thereby the Wisedome Goodnesse Iustice Power of God 164. Mans nature and sinne hardly parted but by the power of the holy Ghost 107. †Impossibilities to a naturall man 511. * Better not to speake at all than ill of our neighbours 195. ¶ We may not hurt our neighbours though it be in our powers 200. * Noah left all to save his soule 38. Christs words Noliâ—e tangere 312. ¶ God is able to make a man somewhat when he is nothing 66. ¶ O THe marvellous obduration of the Iewes 185. Obedience due to God that Made Can destroy Disposes all things 64 65 Obedience due to Christ as Lord. 97. ¶ A man that hath nothing to offer to God must offer his sinnes 137. ¶ The threefold office of Christ 83. Oile of gladnesse why so called 81. ¶ Difference in opinions hath beene in all ages 283. †The danger of letting slip an opportunitie 348. Christ over-heares every word wee speake 351. P THe Papists feare the Popes curse more than Gods 467. †Christ borne of meane Parentage to Sanctifie the meanest births Pull downe the pride of the world Teach us contentment Declare the greatnesse of Gods love 111. Christs care extends not onely to all in generall but to every one in particular 347. We must beleeve in particular 77. * Christ the true paschall Lambe 266. 268. ¶ Christs Passion two-fold of Necessitie Arbitrary this he Vnderwent Refused 218. No perfect peace on earth whilst the Church is Militant 531. * Christ brings peace whithersoever he comes 339. ¶ True peace of conscience is only to be sought in the death of Christ 340. Gods People are sensible of their owne wants 248. ¶ Perseverance obtaines the Crowne 255. ¶ Why Peter girt his coat unto him when hee cast himselfe into the Sea and swim to Christ 627. Philip of Macedonia his dayly memento 407. ¶ God as a Physitian gives his people such a potion as shall free them from all diseases 641. ¶ Pilate sought to cleare Christ 197. ¶ Pilate laboured to deliver Christ Loquendo Mittendo Iungendo Flagellando 200. Of Pilates labouring to deliver Christ 205. In foure respects we must be Pilgrims here 40. The places of trouble God will make places of comfort 360. What to plead against Satan 152. Wee ought to remember death in the midst of all our pleasures 279. ¶ Neglect of the poore a great sinne 475. Christ the poore mans portion 121. ¶ Christ not to bee despised for his povertie 137. * What Christ prayed for in the Garden 160. * Christ prayed for his enemies 225. Prayer is seede sowne in Gods eares and heart 488. †As Christs so our prayers must be limited to Gods good will 160. The stronger conflicts the more earnest our prayers 161. ¶ Prayer should take place where admonition will not 227. †Ground of prayer 240. * Hearty prayer shall not want its due fruit 242. * Praising of God must follow holy Services 127. ¶ Preparation to Heaven illustrated by a Simile of a Traveller 447. †A personall precept bindes not every man 492. ¶ No man must prescribe conditions to God 349. †Wee must labour to bee in the presence of Christ 98. * A twofold presence of God 1. Generall to sustaine us in the life of Nature 2. Particular to assist us in the life of Glory 170. 465. Christ a Priest to Reconcile us to God Intercede for us 84 c. The longer we live here the neerer we draw to the accomplishment of Gods Promises 114. †God 's Promises accomplished in the fulnesse of time 113. Patient waiting for Gods promises commended 114. * Christ a Prophet to declare the will of God 83. The soule goes not to Purgatory or a middle place 604. Q HOw the Spirit is quenched 516. R AS the Rechabites observed their father Ionadab so wee must observe and obey God 54. * Reconciliation to God is by Christ 152. * Our reconciliation to God cost Christ thick blood 163. †Our reconciliation no easie thing 212. †The difficultie of recovering out of sinne if long lyen in 350. ¶ The worke of redemption greater than of creation 68. ¶ The great and long labour of our redemption 253. * The consummation of our redemption in the words It is finished 251. †The power of grace in the heart makes Gods people to rejoyce 136. ¶ T is nothing to be religious if not just withall 139. ¶ Two remembrances of God in Iudgement Mercie 241. †Repentance cannot save without faith for three reasons 1. 2. Repentance Fruitfull only in this Vnfruitfull or penall in the other life 609. ¶ Defects in unsound repentance as in Ahab c. 497. The danger of late repentance 235. No repentance in Hell 285. †Christ alwaies comes to repentant sinners 306. †No resisting Christ the Lord of the world 96. ¶ Of the resurrection of the body 623. Reasons proving it drawne from the Power Iustice Mercie End of Christs comming Resurrection of Christ of God 623. Objections of Atheists against the resurrection answered 625. The glory of the body at the resurrection consists in 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Intirenesse of parts 638. Beauty and lovelinesse 639. Brightnesse and splendor ibid. Immortalitie and immutabilitie 640. Spiritualitie 642. Power 643. Of Christs resurrection 292. Christs resurrection of necessity to Assure us of pardon of sinnes Apply salvation Assure our resurrection out of the Grave Trouble 292. c. The companions of Christs resurrection 300. The manifestation of Christs resurrection 304. Reasons that wee
that God the Creator should have suffered but one houre We see in nature that a wound at the heart although it be but with a little pin is more dangerous than a great cut in the thigh arme or any other place so it is a greater matter that Christ should have suffered than if all the creatures should have suffered So that the sufferings of Christ are more than sufficient to redeeme us for it is the dignity of the person that giveth a merit and efficacie to the sufferings by this that hath been said is made manifest that no man need doubt but that the sufferings of Christ is more worth than all the bodies and soules of men in the world But here may a question be moved how the death of Christ which was but temporary should be sufficient to redeemeus seeing we should have suffered eternally I answer it was the dignity of his person that gave power and efficacie to it for it was more that God should suffer even a little than if all the men of the world had suffered for ever Secondly seeing it was God that suffered this doth shew the grievousnesse of our sinnes that when we have sinned we have done that which all the powers in heaven and in earth cannot satisfie neither Angels nor Archangels but it must be the bloud of the Sonne of God saith Augustine O man doe but consider by the greatnesse of the price the greatnesse of thy sinnes we see what a slight matter we make of sinne when we have sworne an oath or told alye yet when wee have done so we have done that that all the Angels in heaven cannot make expiation and satisfaction for but onely the Sonne of God must doe it and that with his owne bloud therefore doe not thou sell that for a toy or a trifle that cost so great price Thirdly seeing it was God that suffered wee must not thinke much that we suffer for our sins for if God would have spared any he would have spared his owne Sonne one would thinke but he would not spare him though there was no inherent or reall sinne in him but a shadow onely and the imputation of sinne upon him therefore how shall hee spare us that have sinne inherent and reall in us we thinke much when our teeth or backe ake or any other part of us whereas wee deserve to be pained in all our parts if God suffered we must not thinke much to suffer for our sinnes for in mans reason if he would have spared any he would have spared his owne Sonne Matth. 20. saith our Saviour They will reverence my Son And Luk. 23. 34. he saith If they doe this to the greene tree what will they doe to the dry tree He was a greene tree full of goodnesse and full of grace we be but dry trees no goodnesse nor no grace in us If he suffered such things what shall become of us So Rom. 11. 21. For if God spared not the naturall branches take heed also lest hee spare not thee Therefore if Christ suffered we must not thinke much to suffer Thirdly For whom he suffered Saint Peter saith the just for the unjust And Rom. 5. 8. the Apostle saith But God commendeth his love to us seeing that whilest we were yet sinners Christ died for us So then Christ died for us in our place and roome The Vses are First seeing Christ suffered in our roome and place therefore this must teach us that whatsoever befell Christ at his sufferings the same might justly have fallen upon us for Christ he tooke the guilt of our sinnes upon him suffered in our roome and place therefore whatsoever befell him the same should have befallen us as he was arraigned and condemned at Pilates barre so wee should have beene before Gods tribunall as he was condemned of Pilate so we should have beene condemned of God as he was accused of the Iewes so we should have been by the Devill as he was carried out of the Citie to the place of execution so we should have beene carried to hell as he was hanged on the Crosse so we should have been tormented in hell for ever as darknesse was over his face so we should have had our faces overwhelmed with darknesse for ever Alas we thinke much to suffer a little paine in our heads backes or teeth c. but what is this to that which Christ suffered for us we have our houses to rest in but it is said that the Sonne of man hath not a place to rest his head in He died in the fields wee have our soft beds he amongst his enemies we amongst our friends Christ was a hungry and thirsted we have our tables filled he was in want and we have plenty therefore consider with thy selfe what great things befell Christ the same should have befallen thee whatsoever extremitie in soule or in body came to him the same nay worse had not he redeemed thee would have vexed thee Secondly seeing Christ suffered in our roome and place this therefore should teach us to accuse our selves because wee be the cause of Christs sufferings for it is our sinnes that caused a crowne of thornes to be set on his head that nailed him to the crosse that thrust the speare into his sides did crucifie him So Esa 53. 16. it is said That the chastisements of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Therefore as Gen. 35. 18. Rachel named her son Ben-oni the sonne of her sorrow because he was borne with the death of his mother so Christ may call us â—â—nnes of his sorrow because we be all borne with his death There be many that complaine of the souldiers of Pilate of Iudas and of the Iewes but we ought rather to complaine of our selves our sinnes and the vile life we live in therefore let us doe as Ioseph of Arimathea did goe to the crosse of Christ as hee pulled the spickes out of his hands and his feet so should wee in a spirituall manner goe to the crosse of Christ looke upon his body and say O blessed Lord this is the head that my sinnes have crowned with a crowne of thornes these be the hands that my sins have pierced these be the feet that my sinnes have nailed this is the face which my sinnes caused to be spit upon this is the backe which I caused to be whipped and these be the sides that I caused to be wounded with a speare thus we should complaine of our selves and weepe day and night in that we were the cause of his death If a man be found dead there is inquiry made in the countrey how this man came by his death So now that Christ is found dead on the crosse we must make inquiry how Christ came to his death upon the inquiry we shall finde that we be the crucifiers of him not the Iewes onely but my sinnes and thy sins for as