and yet never perfectly learn it strive and indeavor to know it wee may but we shall never fully know it nor fathom the bottome of it Exuperat omnem scientiam Theophil And what was Peters last exhortation to the Saints to whom he wrote but that they should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ As if this were the chiefe lesson they were to learn according to my text I desired to know nothing among you c. Wherein two things are to be considered 1. What knowledg of Christ it is that is to be studied of us 2. Why the knowledge of Christ and him crucified is specially to be studied of us For the first we are to study to know Christ with a fourfold knowledge with the knowledg of 1. Speculation or Contemplation 2. Particular application 3. Love and affection 4. Vertuall operation 1. With the knowledge of Speculation in three particulars viz. to know Christ in his 1. Incarnation 2. Crucifixion 3. Satisfaction CHAP. II. Teacheth us to study to know Christ in his Incarnation FIrst we must study to know Christ in his Incarnation That he is God and man joyned together that God and man might be joyned together that by sinne were separated one from another Wherein five things are to be learned of us 1. That he is the second Person in the Trinity who was the wisdome of the Father To teach us that the divine nature is not essentially but personally not simply but Relatively in relation to the second Person incarnated f Non essentia Deâ— absolutè considerata sed persona filii erat incarnata Buchan loc com Non essentia sed persona deitatis est incarnata Wolleb for else the Father and holy Ghost muâ—t be incarnated as wel as the Sonne which was the error of the Sabellians Anno Christi 257. who denied the three distinct persons and said they were but three names and so by consequence were compelled to say the Father and H. G. were incarnate and died for our sins as well as the Sonne 2. That he is the Son of God g Psal 2. 7. John 1 14. Not by creation as the Anâ—els and Adam were not by adoption as the Saints are but his naturall son by eternall generation as he was God being of the same substance and nature that his Father is as children are of the same substance with their Parents cald indeed the Father of Eternity Es 9. 6. but that was respectu essentiae non subsistentiae in regard of his essence not subsistence The manner is unspeakable incomprehensible for who can declare his generation In naturall generation the Father is 1. before the Sonne 2. the Son inferior to the Father 3. receiving his substance from the Father but in this generation the Father is not before the Sonne who was eternally his sonne or else there should be a time when God was without a Sonne and himselfe not a Father 2. Nor is he inferior to the Father for he is no more beholding to God to be his Father then the Father to him to be Essentia non generatnec generatur Scholoâ— his sonne 3. nor did he receive his Substance but his Sonship from the Father who is unbegotten in respect of his essence as having his essence of himselfe begotten only in respect of his personality for he hath his personall subsistence from the Father begotten as Son not as God Perk. on Creed learned Buchan saith Aliud est esse paâ—ris aliud esse filii aliud esse spiritus sancti that is as they are persons or subsistences but not as absolutely God for so their essence is the same But this mistery is deep and such as is fitter for the study of Angels then men Divines have set it forth by divers similitudes whereby I have thought they have rather darkened then illustrated it and therefore I spare to mention them And further as our Lord Christ is man he is the son of God but not by creation nor adoption nor eternall generation but by hypostaticall union namely by prerogative of his personall union contrary to the Feliciani that called Christ in his humane nature the adopted sonne of God And thus the Son of God became the son of man that the sons of men might be John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 5 6. Mat. 3 17. Iohn 1. 14. made the sonnes of God I go to your father and my father Ioh. 20. 17. And what greater love could the father shew unto us then to give his deare Son his beloved Son his only begotten son for us Joh. 3. 16. Herein appeared Abrahams love that he offered his only sonne Isaac whom he loved Gen. 22. There was one had foure sons who in a famine being sore oppressed with hunger the Parents resolved to sell one for relief But then they considered the eldest was the first of their strength therfore loth to sell him the second was the very picture of the father the third was like the mother the fourth and the youngest was the childe of their old age their Benjamin the dearly beloved of them both and therfore they were resolved not to part with any of them and so would rather suffer themselves to perish then to part with any of their children Another had two sons both were condemned to dye yet upon mediation the father was offered to have one spared But he could not find in his heart which to chuse to live so to leave the other to the stroak of death They both were so dear to him and so they both died so dear are children to their Parents Can a mother saith God forget her child yet God seems to forget his only son that lay in the bosome of the father and was his delight from all eternity that he might remember Prov. 3. 30 us deliver us from death and make us the adopted sons of God Thirdly that Iesus Christ is God The mighty God i Es 9. 6. who thought it no robbery to be equall with God k Psal 2. 6. Rev. 18. Mat. 8. 10. Col. 1. 15. 16. contrary to the heresie of the Samosetanians Servetus Ebionites Cerinthians Nestorians Turks Jews Arrians and all other Hereticks that deny the Deity of Christ but to him is attributed eternity l omnisciency omnipresence creation and providence which are only attributed to God Beside the works and miracles which our Lord Christ wrought when he was upon the earth declared him to be the mighty God m Joh. 5 36 10. 25. 37. 38. Now Christ must needs be God not only to support the humane nature to beare the wrath of God from sinking under it which else had ground him to powder As the altar of wood was covered with brasse that the fire might not consume it Exod. 27. 2. But also to give worth to his sufferings and to make them of infinite value because they were the sufferings of God n Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9.
promised that neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ our Lord Rom. 8. ult 2. And secondly If thou knowest Christ to be thine thou art sure to dye a blessed death Reve. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. c. because that day and houre thou diest that day thou art sure thy soule shall be with Christ in paradise for to all that know Christ savingly death is but the harbenger to bring their Cyprian soules to Christ Ejus est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire saith a father let him fear death that is loth to go to Christ do not thou feare that desirest to be dissolved and to be with Christ Death to thee is but as thy fathers horse to cary thee to thy fathers house or like Iosephs Chariot ratling with its wheeles ready to carry old Iacob to his son Ioseph so is death ready to carry thee to thy Saviour Iesus Alas our misery lies in our life morimur dum non morimur not in our death therein lies all our happynesse for we shall not die but live still onely we shall exchange the place of our living instead of Egypt to live in Canaan instead of earth to live in heaven Now are wee afraid to live No life is sweet then feare we not to die for that brings the sweetest and most happy life and will make an exchange of a life of misery for a life of glory Indeed to them that know not Christ O how bitter is death It must needes sting them like a serpent because they go from all their hapinesse to all their misery Death of it selfe is bitter but herein lies the sting and strength of death to all out of Christ in that it is entailed to eternall death they may say as once Elisha did 2 Kings 6. 32. Behold the murtherer death is come to take away mine head And is not the sound of his Masters feet even of the divel and hell behind him mori non metuo said one sed damnari metuo I feare not to die but I feare to be damned When Saul was told by Samuel as he took him to be to morrow thou shalt be with me therefore what else but in heaven yet the newes pleased him not his conscience preached otherwise to him but Saul fell all along on the earth and was sore afraid and there was no strength in him 1 Sam. 28. 20. so Belshazzar did read the hand writing before Daniel read it and trembled for his conscience told him there could come no good newes from heaven to such a wretch as he was And verily herein lyes the sad condition of all men that know not Iesus Christ savingly That though they may make themselves merry and be pleasant in their lives yet death makes them miserable they shall lye down in sorrow Esa 50. 11. And though now Christ seemes like a roote out of a dry ground having nothing in him why they should desire him Esa 53. 2. for though he hath made rich promises yet not of such things as they care or desire to be rich in and with such hard conditions too as seem unreasonable even the parting with their dearest lusts yet at death what would men give for assurance that Christ were theirs Would they not prefer this knowledge before all earthly blessings As Severus said if I had a thousand worlds I would now give them all to be found in Christ As crock-back Richard the third in his distresse cryed a Kingdome for a hors O then they will cry a Kingdome for a Saviour CHAP. XII A Reproofe of those that know nothing of Iesus Christ Vse 1 IF this be so that we ought to study to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified then they are justly to be reproved that know nothing of Iesus Christ and him crucified There are five sorts of them who know nothing or very little of Iesus Christ and him crucified First the heathens who are the greatest part of the world and of whom there are milions of milions at this day who want the meanes of knowledge and can never attaine salvation for if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. And they are without hope Eph. 2. 12. Qui cuiquam salutem promittit sine Christo nescio utrum ipse salutem habere potest in Christo Aug. Acts 17. 31 Ir is true some conceive it is a sinne in Heathens to want habituall knowledge of Christ because it was in Adam in innocency and it had beene his duty so to have acted if God had commanded him as now he doth command all men Therefore habituall knowledge of Christ seems still to be required even of heathens Yea and actuall applicatory knowledge of all to whom Christ is revealed because the want is their sinne for which they shall be damned John 16. 9. Mark 16. 16. But where the Gospel is not revealed as among the Heathens there it seemes not a sinne for we are not bound to act that which God never revealed to Adam nor since There is Lex interna id est internus Deiconceptus and externa or revelata Now Gods secret will is not our Law but his will revealed Leges factae instituuntur cum promulgantur Rayner Panth. Some indeed think the moralized heathens that walked by the light of nature were saved as Chrys Clemens Alexand. Erasmus Casauhon and others but Christ tels us the contrary Act. 4. 12. Though in comparison of us that have the meanes they are said to have no sin Ioh. 15. 22. I grant whether it be a sin or no in the Heathens not to know Christ to whom he was never revealed is a question But of this I am sure if their negative infidelity be no sin being ignorantia privationis or negativa yet their positive fidelity is odious in that they trust to dumb Idols to the stock of a tree c. when as the light of nature tels them that they themselves are better then that they trust in by whichlight of nature they shall be judged Rom. 2. 12. yea light of nature tels them a living creature is better then the picture as a lamb in the field or a bird flying in the aire c. are better then a picture of them And yet saith one si accepto spiritu occurrerent ut monstra haberentur 2. The Turks that acknowledge God a father yet deny Christ a Redeemer though they heare of Christ yet despise him reject abuse him and his members and prefer their Mahomet before him whose sin is greater because their own religion is so absurd fleshly and filthy and his rewards all fleshly fitter for swine then men 3. The poore scatter'ed Iewes of whom and for whom Christ especially came to them still Christ is a mystery they acknowledge Moses law and the Prophets but reject Christ as an impostor looke for a saviour to come
Return into thy countrey and I will do thee good David also stuck close to the word Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Psal 119. 49. And the Prophet Esaiah saith Es 66. 11. They shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation so let us suck the bloud of the promises as a dog that hath got the blood of the Bear he hangs on and will hardly be beaten off 5. Though it is true that any one saving grace whatever is a signe Christ is thine yea though thou hast a 1000. temptations and doubts that thou canst not answer Yet it is good to gather an abbreviate of some few signes that thy soule may feed upon in time of trouble These I acknowledge are so plainly laid The more experienced Reader that finds lesse need of them may be pleased patiently to passe them over down in Scripture and so familiarly taught almost in every book that treats of faith that it would seem almost lost labour therefore I will be the briefer yet I dare not altogether neglect them for the benefit of some weak ones The generall sign is If any be in Christ he is a new creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. Col. 3. 9. 10. which is called regeneration wherby the law is written in his heart God having Though the strings bee the same yet the tune is changed planted in him a love and liking to every good and a hatred to all that is evill Thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest wickednesse Psal 45. 7. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will cause you to walk in my statutes Ezek. 36 26. 27. More particularly I shall lay down eleven markes or signes whereby a man may know that Christ is his in particular which is nothing else but a strong act of justifying faith Signe 1 1. The first sign of assurance that Christ is thine is If it were wrought by hearing the Word preached ordinarily and is confirmed by it for faith commeth by hearing ordinarily a Rom. 10. 17. 1 Cor. 1. 21 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth Iam. 1. 18. every child hath a father So the 3000 were converted by hearing Peter b Acts 2. 37 Acts 8. 26. I deny not but that afflictions losses death of children or friends c. may prepare for Christ as Paul was by being unhorsed by Christ Act. 9. 3 4. Yet they do not work faith but usually that is wrought by the word preached therefore Ananias was afterwards sent to Paul Act. 9. 10. so likewise good councell reading good bookes c. may stir us up to seek after Christ as perhaps it did the Eunuch Act. 8. 28. but do not set us into Christ and hence Philip was sent to the Eunuch readding to work faith in his heart as appears verse 30. to verse 38. And as the word begets it so it feeds confirmeth and Ex iisdem nuâ—uimur à quibus constamus cherisheth faith as the ashes cherish the fire whereof they were bred 1 Pet. 2. 2. Eph. 4. 12 13. Now then inquire how came you by your particular knowledge of Christ to be your Saviour did the word preached convince humble and excite you to seek Christ and doth it confirme and stablish your faith then it is good But on the contrary if you know not how you came by your faith never by hearing of sermons but are like the Israelitish women quick of delivery before ever the midwife the Minister can come at you you may suspect your faith as we suspect those to be stollen goods when they know not how they came by them and that a base born child when it is not known who is the father although I say not that every one converted knowes the Minister that coÌ„verted him yet ordinarily he knowes he was converted by the word preached except God instilled grace into his heart when he was a young child as he did unto Samuel Timothy c. But especially they have cause to suspect their faith when the preaching of the word shakes and winnowes their faith and fils them full of doubtings and tormenting feares the preachers of the word being like the two witnesses their tormentors who say of them as Job did of his friends Rev. 11. 10. miserable comforters are you all Certainly she is but an ill mother that will not give such to the child she bare if she be able but rather hunch it beat it and deal unkindly with it Signe 2 2. The second signe is if thy heart were ever prepared for the receiving of Christ as the stones were prepared for the Temple or as a man prepares his house to entertain a king Luk. 3. 5. Every valley shall be filled or levelled In some sense a Christian sometimes may be said to be too low when he despairs of mercy then he is said to be too low for despair layes his soul as low as hell as it did Judas And every hill shall be brought low that is the mountanous and high thoughts thou hadst of thy self like the Pharisee that thought himselfe not like other men shall now be changed and now thou shalt have low thoughts of thy selfe saying as Jacob I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies as the Prodigall I am not worthy to be called thy sonne as the Publican Lord be mercifull to me a sinner as Paul of sinners I am chief or as David I am a worme and no man for Christ dwels only in the humble heart Esaiah 57. 15. with him will I dwell that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble It followeth And crooked things shall be made straight that is even the crooked paths of the serpent thy crooked wayes shall now be made straight and even now levelling at the rule of the word of God his glory And the rough wayes shall be made smooth that is even Bears and Lions rough Esaus shall now become Babes and Lambs for meeknesse and gentlenesse as it was prophesied Es 11. 6 7 8. Now all this is done by a spirit of bondage and feare of hell and damnation which God usually smites the heart with before he gives Christ as the plow goes before corn is sowen as it was with Paul a Acts 9. 45. with the Jailor b Acts 16. 29 30. with the 3000 Jewes at their conversion c Acts 2. 36 37. c. No woman brings forth a child without sorrow and pain nor is any born again usually without their spirituall pangs of sorrow though some feel more some lesse as some children come forth with more some with lesse pain of the mother yet all have so much as to make them willing to let go their sins to receive Christ Act. 9. 6. You know the stony ground wanted depth or softnesse of earth and so quickly withered Matth. 13. saith dwels not
Incarnation of Christ. the humanity into the Deity nor by cohabitation onely as the Nestorians say nor by mixture as water and wine mixt together which is neither wine nor water but a compound of both nor by infusion of the Godhead into the manhood But by taking the manhood or humane nature into the person of the Sonne of God and so Per moduÌ„ Accedentis saith Durand In l. 3. sent dist 6. q. 4. to have his subsistence in the Godhead And hence the two distinct natures remaine in communicable each to other and yet make not two distinct persons but onely one person as the body and soule two distinct natures make but one man contrary to the heresie of Eutiches who said the humane nature was swallowed up in the divine so as there remained onely the divine nature And the reason of this union was because he was to be a Mediator between God and man and to reconcile God to man therefore meet he should have interest in both natures CHAP. III. A briefe view of the sufferings of Christ before he suffered on the Crosse SEcondly we must study to know Christ in his crucifixion or in his sufferings And him crucified All his life was a crucifixion from the womb to the tomb from his birth to his buriall concerning which though little can be said by way of explication more then is already largely related in the History of the Gospel yet give me leave for method sake to-give you a breife view of them He was crucified 1. In his conception in that he was conceived of the seed of the Virgin and lodged in her narrow womb whom the heavens could not containe and did not abhorre the Virgins womb But this was was to sweeten our conception who are conceived in sinne and born in iniquity 2. He was crucified in his birth in Psal 51 5. that he was borne of a woman the Cretor of the creature he that made her was born of her yea of a poore maid offering two Turtle Doves for her purifying as being not able to bring a Lamb according to the Law Levit. 12. 8. Was there never a great Lady in Jerusalem for this great Prince of heaven and earth to be borne of But he looked on the lowlinesse of his handmaid And this teacheth us that Christ regards 1 Cor. 1. 26. not the rich no more then the poor that he came for the poore poore Lazarus lay in rich Abrahams bosome when rich Dives was in hell torments Poore Shepherds had Christ revealed to them by Angels when he was hid from the Matth. 18. 10. great ones and Rulers at Jerusalem Who can then despise the poorest Saint who perhaps may have move of Christ in him and a higher seat in glory then our selves A pearl is rich when found on a dung-hill though it may glister more when set in a Ring of Gold Hath not God chosen the poore of this world to be rich in faith and heires of that Kingdome James 2. 5. 3. In that he was born in a stable Luke 2. 12. This shall be a signe unto you And well they had this signe for elle its likely they would have looked into the fairest houses stateliest chambers and not in a stable for him You shall find the Babe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sucking child A strange crucifixion the great God to become a Babe and the eternall Word not to be able to speak a word The Lyon of the tribe of Judah who when he roares he makes all the beasts tremble to cry like a child that sucks Nestorius despised to call an Infant God But hereby the greater power of God was seene that could by a Child overcome sin death and the divell and bring us to glory Nay more you shall find the Babe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swadled in cloutes such as we cover wounds and beggars sores withall they were not fine linen nor silke clouts but meane and poore liker to beggars raggs Now was not this a Crucifixion That he thaâ— shall come in the Cloudes should appeare in clouts which yet he weares not so much to cover his nakednesse as to discover ours and because he appeared in the similitude of sinfull flesh 4. More yet if a Babe in clouts yet in some faire Chamber and Cradle No in a Stable where horses and beasts were fed at least at that time when so great a concourse of people met and in the Manger instead of a Cradle Now be astonished and wonder that the great God who inhabiteth eternity whom the heavens cannot containe and Solomons Temple was too meane for him that he should be lodged among the beasts as Nebuchadnezar was turned out among the beasts Marcus Antonius brought Caesars robe before the people all bloody to move Compassion but I have shewed you our Lord Christ not in his Robâ—s of glory but in his raggs and clouts to teach us Christs humility and us humility by his example learne of me saith Christ that I am meek and lowly in heart Mat. 11. 29 Yet all this was for our exaltation Christ was clothed with clouts and raggs that we might be clothed with Robes of glory Christ was laid in a Manger that we might have mansion-places in heaven and lie in Abrahams bosome 3. He was Crucified in his Circumcision as a type of our defilement and his purity and to worke that on our spirits which was done to his flesh Col. 2. 11. 12. Cutting off our superfluous lusts that we might be all Circumcised in heart as Christ was in his flesh 4. He was crucifyed in his temptations when he was so basely solicited by the Divell to fall down and worship him a far greater reproach then if the greatest Queen should be sollicited to uncleannes by the basest scullion and carryed up and down in his armes at his pleasure But this was that he might experimentally know how to succour us when we are tempted Hebr. 2. 18. 5. He was Crucifyed in his whole life 30 yeeres together living in no account or reputation Phil. 2. He made himselfe of no reputation he was despised and we esteemed him not Esa 53. 3. At the most he was counted but the Carpenters son or the Carpenter perhaps working on his Fathers trade Mark 6. 3. And the deity was vaild in his flesh wherein it lay hid without any great manifestation To teach us that the same mind should be in us that was in Christ Phil. 2. To be content to live without respect in the world and be of no reputation for his sake 6. He was Crucifyed in his agony in Luk. 22. 44 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Non grumi sed unda sanguinis Bern. not clots but a floud of bloud the Garden where he did sweat drops not of water but blood thick blood that ran through his garments trickling down to the ground Not as Josephs garment that was dipt in blood but his body and garments were dyed in blood Esa
one Son without sin but no son without punishment One Sonne sine corruptione but no sonne sine correptione 12. Lastly Christ was crucified in his condēnatiō in that they condemned him Ioh. 19 6. Luk. 13. 24 to death 1. acknowledging him innocent saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just man and then condemning the innocent because he stood in our stead that were nocent and to teach us that we are all by nature condemned men before the Lord till we get our pardon by Christ And lastly that by him we might escape the sentence of eternall condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. CHAP. IV. The sufferings of Christ at and upon the Crosse HAving finished the sufferings of Christ in his life we now come to his suffering in his death on the Crosse in these words And him crucified For greater love saith Christ hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his freinds John 15. 13. If as the Jewes dream he had come as a great Monarch had trod on nothing but Crownes and Scepters and the necks of Kings and had had the Potentates of the earth to attend his traine it had beene great love to us Yea it had beene some love if he had onely pitied us in our misery and wept for us as David did for Absalom Or if he had pleaded for us and spake a good word for us as Jonathan did for David Or if he had sent an Angel for us Or if himselfe had suffered disgrace reproaches Cant. 2 5. opprobryes c. But greater love he could not show then to dye for us skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give to save his life yet Christs life was not too dear for us the spouse indeed was sick of love but Christ exceeded her for he died for love This is our Pellican that hath nourished and fed us with his bloud Many mothers can endure crying of their children and bearing them with paine that would hardly dye for them but the love of Christ passed the love of women for he dyed for us Yea greater love had Christ towards us then barely to dye for us in three respects 1. A man may dye for another Codrus for the Athenians Curtius to preserve Rome if perhaps it be an honourable death to get renoune after his death as some of the heathens have done 2. If it be an easie death 3. If it be for a dearly beloved freind to whom he hath been much ingaged Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye saith Paul that is that hath lived justly Yet for a good man that hath beene very beneficiall to him peradventure one would even dare to dye and Rom. 5. 8. yet it is but a peradventure neither But first Christ died not an honourable death the people applauding him as they did sometimes the Martyrs But the shamefull death of the Crosse Heb. 12. 2. He endured the Crosse and despised the shame Now dishonour and shame to a noble spirit is as bitter as death it selfe And surely if to live with infamy be worse then death what is it then to dye with infamy It was shamefull in five respects 1. In that they made him carry his owne Crosse or gallowes whereupon he was hanged as when malefactors go with halters about their necks to execution 2. It was shamefull in that he was 1 Ioh. 19. 23. stript naked to the scorne of Angels and men even he that covers the heavens with starres the earth with flowers the beasts with skins and men with raiment even he was stript naked so farre as modesty would permit say some and clothed Rev. 3. 17. 18. onely with his own innocency To teach us we are naked of all righteousnesse and deserve to be stript naked of all comforts earthly and spirituall And that he might cloath us with the robes of his righteousnesse 3. It was shmeful in that he was hang'd a death meet for theeves murtherers and execrable sinners we count it a death too base for noble bloud although they turn traytors and therefore they have liberty to exchange the gallowes for the block To see a King hang'd what a shamefull suffering were it but for God to be hang'd on a gallowes much more The Turks mock us at this day with our crucified God and some of the heathens said they would not beleeve in a hang'd God But the greater his sufferings were the greater was his love and our misery who deserved to hang in hell for ever 4. It was shamefull in that he was hanged with two theeves and in the midst as the Prince of theeves and murtherers and as the greatest malefactor Esay 53. 12. He was numbred among the transgressour◠His good name was as deare to him as ours to us Now which of us especially being innocent could be content to be esteemed as murtherers adulterers theeves or the like Yet perhaps this might figure out the last judgement when repentant sinners shall be set on the right hand and the reprobates on the left as one observeth * the one sort to be saved Sir John Heyward knight the other to be condemned 5. It was shamefull because he was insulted over in his misery as Sampson was mocked by the Philistines at his death he saved others said they but cannot save himselfe Come drwne from the Crosse and wee will beleeve in thee All that see me laugh me Psal 22. 7. to scorne they shoot out the lip c. Secondly as Christ died not an honorable death so he suffered not an easie but a most bitter and painfull death he was Phil. 2. Heb. 12. 2. obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse he endured the Crosse This appeares even in what he suffered from men in his body which yet was lesse then what many Martyrs suffered being rouled naked in a barrel of nailes racked burned c. First before he was laid upon the Crosse They gave him gall and vinegar to drink as Matthew reads it Matthew 27. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or wine mingled with mirh as Mark reads it Mark 15. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one explaines the other That is wine as sharp as vinegar and imbittered with mirh like gall but not gall it selfe as Beza Or rather I think it was mingled with both gall and mirh as Gerard. Some indeed think this no part of his sufferings and that it was not to torment him but ut mors ejus esset celerior so Calvin And Beza thinks the good women brought the wine to chear him and that it was Vinum dulce sweete Calvin in Ioc. Baroni Annal. An. no Christi 34. c. 84. Bera in Ioc. Prov. 31. 6. wine a kind of Nectar and so thinks Baronius according to that of Solomon Prov. 31. 6. Give wine to him that is of a heavy heart But this cannot be for it is not likely
not let thee go untill thou blesse me or as the woman of Canaan that would not be put off at least with a crumme of mercy or as Mary when John and Peter went back when they found not Christ presently she stood and stayed at the sepulchre weeping till she found her Saviour Also use all other meanes seek Christ in the temple for there his mother found him and thou mayest find him wait upon all ordinances and let thy end be hoping to find Christ in them seek Christ also among his Saints forsake all bad company and joyn thy selfe with them as Paul did t Acts 9. 26. 25. and continue thus seeking and in his blessed time he will say unto thee be it to thee according to thy desire and thus mayest thou come to know Christ not only a Saviour but thy Saviour thy Lord and thy God CHAP. XVII Certain signes and marks are laid down whereby we may come to know Iesus Christ to be ours Vse 6 IN the next place to those that conceive they know Christ savingly let it be a use of examination and tryal whether we be not deceived and whether we know upon sure grounds that we have our part in Iesus Christ Prove your selves saith the Apostle whether you he in the faith a 2 Cor. 13. 5. Gal. 6. 4. As men try their gold by weight and touchstone 1. We know our hearts are deceitful and desparately wicked and we are ready to blesse our selves that Christ is ours when it is no such matter thus was Laodicea deceived who thought her selfe rich increased in goods and wanting nothing when she was most wretched and miserable b Rev. 3. 17 Gal. 6. 3. Rom. 7. 9. Deut. 29. 19. And the Pharisee who blessed God he was not as other men nor as that Publicane when indeed he was not so happy Nay Solomon tels us There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes whose hearts are not washed from their filthinesse Prov. 30. 12. 2. Consider the danger of this deceit As if one should sell all that he had and buy a rich Jewel he were undone if it proved a counterfeit so if thou art deceived to conceive Christ is thine when he is not thou art utterly undone for ever If a man be deceived in taking copper for gold it is but the losse of so much gold if in the title of his lands it is but the losse of his estate but if thou beest deceived in this particular to think Christ to be thine when he is not it is the losse of thy soule and the greatest judgement thou canst be given over to to be thus deceived c Iob 8. 13. 11. 20. Esa 6. 9. 1. 3. Satan wil try us when we lie sick and in time of distresse who then will lay sore at us with temptations to despair Luke 22. 13. He will minnow you as wheat and God wil try us at the day of judgement 1 Cor. 3. 13. 14. and then if our work ahide not we lose our reward 4. Again fourthly and lastly the benefit is great every way For if we be deceived and know it wee have time now to seek after Christ If a man hath a disease upon him and know it he may then send to the Physician for cure in time or a man that is out of his way if he know it in time he may returne into the right way again But what an intolerable vexation will it be to a man not to see his disease till it be past cure or not to know himselfe to be out of his way till he be at his journeyes end so for a man to think himselfe to have part in Christ When he hath not and that he is going to heaven when he is going to hell and yet not to know it till he comes in hell this is the greatest and most irrecoverable misery And on the contrary for a man to have part in Christ and not to know it which is possible in time of temptation to a child of God as it was to David Psal 22. 1. Psal 51. and to Iob Iob. 3. and cap. 4. and to Heman Psal 77. and to the Church of God Es 49. 14. 15. he hath little comfort of it nor in his life but he is continually full of fears and temptations as is a condemned man that hath his pardon but knoweth it not as Hagar wept that had a fountain of water by her but she knew it not or as a man that is right in his way but knowes it not how uncomfortably doth such a man travell on his journey what heart hath that man to work when he knoweth not but he may lose all his labour what heart to build or bestow cost upon that house which he knowes not whether it be his or no But if a man be in Christ and certainly knowes it he hath heaven in his heart when a man knowes he hath his pardon then he rejoyceth in it when he knoweth he is right in his way then he goes on chearfully when he knoweth the house is his own he bestowes great cost in building because he knowes he shall not lose his labour Yea this only will make us die with comfort nay with a holy triumphing over death as being assured of Christ and a better life death where is thy sting Naturall feare a man may have but this assurance will overcome it by fixing our eyes upon the joyes of heaven by the eye of faith as it did in Simeon Paul Stephen the thief on the crosse and others O what would a man give when he lies a dying for this assurance that Christ is his would he not give all the world for it if he had it and would he part with it again for a 1000. worlds surely no and yet alas if some men had no more assurance for their lands then for Christ they would have but little comfort Quest But you will say How should a man know this certainly so as not to be deceived Answ I answer first be willing to know the truth concerning thy condition whether it be right or wrong good or evill if Christ be thine that thou mayest know it or if he be not thine yet that thou mayest know it Therefore pray with David try me O Lord and let me know my own heart search me and let me know Psal 139. 21 22. my thoughts and let me see if there be any wicked way in me O let me not bee cozened to mistake hell for heaven to go to hell hood winke There be some men cannot endure the tryall nor a searching ministry but will leave it at an adventure although their hearts misgive them and truly this is tryall enough that those wayes are naught that love not the light that gold is too light that loves not the tryall of the scales and weights and naught that will not endure the touchstone Foule faces love not clear but flattering glasses as the Panther when
to take part with us in our sufferings for sometimes God comforts us that by our experience we might be the better able to comfort others 2 Cor. 1. 4. 2. Secondly Remember what thou Psal 77. 11. 12. wert and whether thou didst never believe Christ to be thine and whether there be no signe of saving grace still remaining in thee as mourning under sin love to the brethren c. and then though thou hast a 1000. doubts thou canst not answer yet thou art sure to be saved for that cannot be a dead tree that hath fruit growing upon it 3. Thirdly if thou canst not believe Christ is thine yet resolve to love and obey him say thus whether he will save me or no I will love and serve him as well as I can I will walk in his wayes and not sin against him And this will reflect comfort upon us of its owne accord for how could I love God if he did not first love me Our affections of love to God saith a Reverend Divine are but reflections Dr. Sibs on Psal 42. of Gods love to us If cold bodies have heat it is a signe some fire has warmed them or the Sunne hath shined upon them 4. Fourthly Resolve what ever become of thee to die beleeving as Job did though he kill me saith he I will put my trust in him and as Joab did who would die with his hands holding upon the altar and as Ester resolved in another case upon Christ will I trust if I perish I perish CHAP. XXIII An exhortation to the ministers of the Gospell especially to preach Iesus Christ to the people IN the next place Vse 7 seeing Paul desired to know learne and teach nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ and him crucified let it be an exhortation to all the minsters of the Gospell to follow the example of Saint Paul in two respects First to preach nothing to our people in comparison of Iesus Christ and him crucified Secondly to preach in such a manner as men may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ First I say to preach Iesus Christ especially to the people wo be to me saith Paul if I preach not the Gospell and again my little children of whom I travell in birth till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. It was the prayer of Luther at his death thee ô Christ have I known thee have I loved thee have I taught thee have I trusted and now into thy hands do I commend my spirit O the more of Christ in a sermon the sweeter is our preaching and our greatest ornament is that we can set forth the honour of Christ Saint Augustine professed of Cicero he was much delighted in his eloquence but he soon grew weary quianomen Christi non erat ibi because the name of Christ was not to be found there 1. And it must needs be so first because the preaching of Christ is most profitable for the people alas what can we inrich them withall in comparison of Christ the knowledge of whom can only make them happy This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ thus we shall save their soules from death hell and damnation and hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5. ult 2. It is most welcome and comfortable as it is sweeter to bring a pardon to condemned men then to read their sentence of condemnation for so we shall bee their ministeriall saviours whereas else we shall be but their tormentors 3. It is the readiest way to break the Eph. 3. 17 18. heart as the Traitor flyeth at the pursuit after with hew and cry but the kings proclamation of pardon that brings him in we know by the law is the ministration of death like Hagar that saw her bottle empty Gal. 2 16. Gal. 3. 10. nothing but death before her eyes but no fountaine to fill it again The law is like a glasse wherein we see our spots but no water to wash them out as Paul said when the commandement came sin revived but I died But the Gospel is like the Laver in Exod. 38. 8. which was made of the womens looking glasses whereby they might both see their faces and also wash out their spots for it was both a glasse and a laver and this typified Christ If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Iohn 2. 1. And certainly if any thing its mercy melts the heart Adam ran away from God when he heard the terrible voice of God in the garden saying I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid and I hid my selfe But when he spake to them with a milder voice then they came in Gen. 3. 9 10. In Eliahs vision the Lord was not in the whirlewiud nor in the earth-quake but in the still voice as you may read at large 1 Kings 19. 11. 23. c. I have heard a story of a Gentlewoman condemned to die for killing three of her children many godly ministers seeing her hardened as they thought in her sinne much pressed her with her grievous sin and the dreadfulnesse of her condition but all nothing moved her but rather she grew more obstinate but at last another Reverend Divine hearing of it comes to her preaching to her the unspeakeable mercies of God in Christ c. and that there was mercy for her notwithstanding her great sin if her heart were touched with griefe for what she had done c. what mercy for me said she O that 's impossible c. But expressing further how God delighteth in mercy that mercy pleaseth him that where sin hath abounded their grace and mercy with God abounds much more or to that effect she presently fell a weeping wringing her hands crying for mercy c. and died most comfortably as it was related having had the mercy of God abundantly revealed to her before her death 4. What greater joy can a minister have then to bring men to Christ to be able to say here am I and the children thou hast given me are not you our hope our joy and crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yea are our glory and our joy saith Paul 1 Thes 2. 19. 20. But on the contrary what comfort will this be to us when we lie a dying to say I studied to fill the houre but not a soule I have wonne to Christ 5. Fifthly and lastly the preaching of Christ is most profitable for our selves for they that winne soules to God shall shine as the starres in the firmament and Gal. 6 8. 1 Cor. 15. ult receive a Prophets reward yea we shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 4. every soule wonne to God is as a new pearle added to our crowne Matth. 24 45. 46. O what a heavy account shall that man have to give that must give